A Good Life

The first Pope of the Americas, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, hailed from Argentina. The Jesuit former Archbishop of Buenos Aires was a prominent figure throughout the continent, yet remained a simple pastor who was deeply loved by his diocese, throughout which he travelled extensively on the underground and by bus during the 15 years of his episcopal ministry.

He was born in Buenos Aires on 17 December 1936, the son of Italian immigrants. His father Mario was an accountant employed by the railways and his mother Regina Sivori was a committed wife dedicated to raising their five children. He graduated as a chemical technician and then chose the path of the priesthood, entering the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto. On 11 March 1958 he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus. He completed his studies of the humanities in Chile and returned to Argentina in 1963 to graduate with a degree in philosophy from the Colegio de San Jose in San Miguel. From 1964 to 1965 he taught literature and psychology at Immaculate Conception College in Santa Fe and in 1966 he taught the same subject at the Colegio del Salvatore in Buenos Aires. From 1967-70 he studied theology and obtained a degree from the Colegio of San Jose.

He was elected Supreme Pontiff on 13 March 2013 in the conclave following the resignation of Benedict XVI and died in 2025, succeeded by Leo XIV.