Friday 15 March 2013

My moment of the week - 5

Habemus Papam!

Whatever your religious persuasion the extra-ordinary events over the past five weeks in Rome cannot have escaped people's notice. After Joseph Ratzinger, we now have the very humble Jorge Mario Bergoglio occupying the top spot in the catholic church. And it seems this new pope errs on the side of sustainability too.

As a cardinal, he declined to live in the opulant residence reserved for cardinals in his native Buenos Aires in , but chose instead to stay in ordinary appartments.

And when it came to transportation he shunned a chauffeur-driven car, instead preferring to take the bus or metro, and even, ride a bicycle. That would have not just been deemed humble, but also sustainable. In fact, given that Buenos Aires has not always been seen as a cycling friendly city, riding a bicycle borders on the avant-garde!

Knowing that Pope Francis I is happy to ride a bicycle is another illustration of him getting level with the local population, rather than putting himself on a pedestal above everyone else. Now that's a pope who gets my vote! Urbi et Orbi!

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