Paul Keenan
A new book on the life of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio before his elevation to the papacy reveals his efforts to shield Argentine citizens from the Argentine regime during the Dirty War Years.
Prompted to investigate the cardinal’s past by allegations made against him as soon as he became Pope Francis, journalist Nello Scavo of the Italian Catholic daily Avvenire reveals the current Pope was at the heart of a scheme to shield so-called desaparecidos – those hunted by the authorities as dissidents – and to organise their departure from Argentina where necessary. Scavo offers a number of individuals and their stories throughout the book by way of illustrating the risks taken by Francis during his everyday ministry in Buenos Aires, including on behalf of the Jesuits Francisco Jalics and Orlando Yorio, whose storiesd were originally seized upon by elements in the media in March 2013 in an attempt to sully the newly-elected Pontiff.
Bergoglio’s List: Those Saved by Pope Francis; Stories Never Told is currently only available in Italian, but given its content, is sure to be translated to other languages quickly.
