Pope Francis is my hero: Solalinde

By Francisco Rodríguez

Alejandro Solalinde criticizes the current role of the Church, because he says it clings to power and money, but defends Pope Francis.

“He is my idol after Jesus,” said the founder of the shelter for undocumented migrants Hermanos del Camino, in Ixtepec, Oaxaca.

He said that he thinks Pope Francis will change the history of Catholicism with reforms to make it a more open religion and will continue to fight corruption in the Vatican.

Does the church have a future?

Religion is man-made and is mutant, it is how men speak to God. It is an anthropological, cultural and human language. Faith is something else: faith is the theological virtue by which we can respond to God with actions and obedience. Religion prays and speaks to God, but we don't know if He listens; faith is listening to God and obeying what He tells us.

Why believing in God?

I believe in God because He exists, is alive and I can almost touch Him.

People have lost faith in the Church, why should they believe in God?

Well, one thing is believing in the Church and another thing is believing in God. Jesus is one thing, the Church is something else, because the Church is the human element where we have failed, but Jesus has not. We can not prove the existence of God scientifically, so we can only accept Him or reject Him by faith.

And if Jesus made Magdalene an apostle, why hasn't the Church recognized her?

Mary Magdalene was no prostitute, she was a leader and Jesus had a hard time in convincing her to follow him, but they did not follow her because they were sexist, they did not believe in her (...) The woman was not well received, after Jesus died and resurrected rivalries emerged, possibly with Peter. Mary Magdalene was most likely a cultivated woman, while Peter was charismatic, very generous, but illiterate, unlike Mary Magdalene, presented by Jesus as equal.

Shouldn't this issue be discussed by the Vatican?

-From a theological point of view, yes.

What do you think of Pope Francis?

He is my hero, after Jesus, he has a lot of merit. For the first time in the history of the Church two popes, one in office and one emeritus, are making a wonderful team and empowering each other. Thanks to this Francis has been able to clean the Vatican finances, that were disgusting, and fire many corrupt members of the Curia.

New foundations will be laid for an irreversible change in the Church. I think the Pope will pave the way for younger priests, with more energy. Celibacy should be optional and women at some point will become part of the Church.

Solalinde added that these changes will take time and that Pope Francis has already done something about pedophile priests by prosecuting an Apostolic Nuncio from the Dominican Republic.

What are the challenges that Pope Francis faces?

-First, surviving, because he can get killed, then surrounding himself with a good team.

About same-sex marriages Solalinde said that Jesus Christ spoke about humans in the Gospel.