Making Common Cause with Pope Francis on Serving the Poor

Lutheran Leaders Attend Inauguration Mass

Leaders from The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) attending the inauguration mass of the pontificate of Pope Francis earlier today in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican, said the first Latin American pope’s concern for the poor gives him common cause with Lutherans.

“Nobody should be lost – this is the core message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” said LWF President Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan. “The compassionate service to the poor across the denominations is a compelling way of witnessing to this message.”

Reflecting on decades of dialogue between Catholics and Lutherans, Younan noted that in a world characterized by fragmentation and communication breakdown the Vatican and the LWF are not only communicating but working together, thanks to their shared faith convictions.

“We owe it to people around the world longing for peace, justice and reconciliation,” the LWF president added.

LWF General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge, a Chilean theologian, expressed his delight at having a Latin American as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. “I never thought in my life that I would speak to a pope using my own mother tongue—Spanish.”

Junge affirmed that the pope is known to Lutheran churches in Argentina and that Francis knows the Lutheran churches. “This is a promising starting point to continue deepening relationships at the global level,” he said.

“We must continue journeying in dialogue and service in this world, discerning together about ways to bring God’s message of justice, peace and reconciliation to the human family and a suffering creation,” Junge added.

As the LWF president and general secretary attended the inauguration of the pontificate of the 266th pope witnessed by hundreds of thousands of people gathered outside St Peter’s Square, Lutheran church leaders in Argentina referred to the happiness and anticipation of his followers in Latin America.

“One inescapable aspect of the election of Francis is the joy and the hope to be seen in many of the simple humble folk, those whom we in the Lutheran churches in the region are called to accompany,” said Rev. Gustavo Gómez, President of Argentina’s United Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELU).

“That also gives rise in us to a wave of sympathy, as well as our prayers and our sincere and vehement desire that the first Latin American pope should call for conversion, make sure that the voices of the many excluded persons are heard,” Gómez said.

The IELU president said that those who have met the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio have talked about his warmth and concern toward people as individuals. Those involved in ecumenical affairs in Argentina say the new pontiff has a deep knowledge of and respect for different religious positions.

This sentiment was echoed by Rev. Sonia Skupch, General Secretary of the Evangelical Church of the River Plate (IERP).

“Individuals in the IERP who have had dealings with him have told me of his great willingness to dialogue, his approachability, and his wide knowledge of the Protestant world and our ideas and beliefs,” Skupch said.

“We are glad that a Latin American cardinal has been elected pope. He will definitely be able to contribute a different viewpoint and vision and a different leadership style,” Skupch concluded.

Pope Francis, 76, was elected on 13 March. He succeeds 85-year-old Benedict XVI from Germany, who led the Roman Catholic from 2005 until his resignation at the end of February.