Pope Francis’ nephew, José Ignacio Bergoglio, the son of the Pope’s only living sister, Maria Elena, this week granted an exclusive interview to the Spanish newspaper ABC.
In the candid interview, the Pope’s nephew describes his personal relationship with his uncle, recalls the career the Pope shelved for the priestood, and talks about the possibility of Pope Francis one day stepping down from the papacy.
Recalling the origin of the young Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s priestly vocation, his nephew — also known as “Pepe” —said: “It was a surprise. At first, his mother (Regina Sívori) didn’t take the decision well because he thought she was losing her eldest son.
“It was difficult for her, but once she accepted the situation she was happy,” the young Bergoglio said.
“The truth is my uncle had told my grandmother that he’d begun medical school, but ultimately he chose to heal souls. One day, his mother Regina entered my uncle’s room and much to her surprise she discovered he was taking a course to enter seminary.
“She found theology books in Latin. My grandmothers said: “Jorge, you lied to me.” To which he responded, “No, mamma, I am studying medicine … medicine for the soul.”
The Pope’s nephew said the Bergoglio family had always been religious. “It was grandma Rosa who taught my uncle to pray,” he explained, “and his parents (Regina and Mario) handed on to everyone values that they in turn handed on to all of us. That laid the foundation of my uncle’s vocation.”
But as Pepe also explained, his uncle’s path to the priesthood was not without difficult choices, including the decision to marry. Continue reading
Sources
- Aleteia
- Image: Worldcrunch
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