TIME Man Of The Year 2013

I was baptized a Catholic.

I have been an atheist since the age of 8.

The scandals of Holy Roman Church has reinforced my decision over the years, however I like the new pope.

Francis I was once a nightclub bouncer in Buenos Aires.

I worked that job for over twenty years in New York, Paris, Hamburg, London, and LA.

Francis I is one of us.

I got his back.

He supports the poor.

"Human beings themselves are nowadays considered as consumer goods which can be used and thrown away. We have begun a throw away culture. This tendency is seen on the level of individuals and whole societies; and it is being promoted! In circumstances like these, solidarity, which is the treasure of the poor, is often considered counterproductive, opposed to the logic of finance and the economy. While the income of a minority is increasing exponentially, that of the majority is crumbling."

No pope has spoken like this in my lifetime.

None dared to challenge the rich.

Even the Pirnce of Rome knows the price of questioning the status quo. I know the cost of silence. Pacem in terris. Free the world.

The Red Waltz Of The Cardinals

White smoke issued from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel signaling that the Catholic Church has a new pope, Francis I. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elevated to the Papal throne to replace Benedict XVI who unexpectantly retired from the world earlier in the year. The new Pope is the first from Argentina. He is also a Jesuit and probably took the suname of the founder of the Society of Jesus, Francis Xavier. I was educated by the Jesuits at Boston College. They showed a zeal for bettering the minds of their students. They haven't been mentioned in the widespread scandal of child-abuse rocking the Church. During his time in Buenos Aires, the conservative cardinal opposed abortion and birth control as well as writing about same-sex marriage as follows, "Let's not be naive, we're not talking about a simple political battle; it is a destructive pretension against the plan of God. We are not talking about a mere bill, but rather a machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God." So the Church has chosen. Life shall be as life has been for thousands of years. Not like I was expecting a change from Old Time Religion. I remain faithful to atheism. It's the modern way. ps The new pope is 75, meaning the cardinals weren't looking for a pope with longevity. And they found their man.