THE TWO POPES   

                                                                                    
TERRIFIC!  We recently watched the Netflix movie, The Two Popes, directed By Fernando Meirellas, starring Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict and Argentinian, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis, played by Johnathan Pryce.  Both actors are nominated for Oscar Awards, Jonathan Pryce for actor in a leading role and Anthony Hopkins for best supporting actor. 

Some background.  No spoiler alerts.

Pope Benedict served as head of the Catholic Church from 2005 - 2013.  Ordained in 1951 in his native Baviria. His early career was an academic and a professor of theology.  By the late 60's his progressive teaching turned conservative.  He, like other renowned theologians of the time, were deeply troubled by the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. On the other hand, Pope Francis, a Jesuit, began his ministry as a staunch conservative.

Years of suffering and overwhelming uncertainty reordered  his beliefs.  Working for social justice became his unwavering path.  At times, only the world we experience can teach us. Pema Chohodron, in her book, When Things Fall Apart, says "everything that occurs is not only usable and workable but is actually the path itself." Then and now, Francis walks the path of compassion, care for the poor, the environment and interfaith dialogue. 

In the movie, the conversation of the two Popes is BRILLIANT!  It clearly shows two men with seriously different visions for moving the Church forward.  It is worth watching if only for the purpose of listening to their dialogue.  The gaps in our country seem to widen every day.  It is easy to shut down and shut out those who don't believe, think and act as we do. Conflict management (if we are serious about finding common ground) says, begin with the end in mind.  Benedict and Francis share a common and deep love for the church. Their ways of moving the church forward differ, their ways of being Pope are strikingly different.

Excerpted from Psalm 106:  May we walk in faith all the days of our life - confident in your Divine Presence, even in times of trouble.  May we have faith in the unfolding of our lives, and radical trust in the universe.

Ruth and Jim Siress have been members of Saint Andrew since 2009.