Educational Media Reviews Online

Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was on none of the short-lists of the various international news organizations for who might succeed Benedict XVI as Pope in 2013. In fact, outside of South America, he was little-known among Catholics worldwide. Recognizing these facts, the Knights of Columbus put together this brief biographical documentary, less as propaganda for Pope Francis and the Catholic Church and more to simply give background to the new pontiff, concerning his life before entering the priesthood as a young man, his training in the Society of Jesus, and in his various appointments as Principal Superior in the Jesuits and as Archbishop of Buenos Aires. The result is a lively if somewhat scattered documentary which incorporates both the Pope’s own words (written and spoken), portions of his inaugural ceremony as Pope, and interviews with colleagues and parishioners who knew and worked with him while he was an archbishop.

Among the most beneficial aspects of the documentary are images of present-day Buenos Aires and interviews with its citizens, who give an accurate and important perspective on the world of the Argentine Church which Pope Francis largely grew up in and ministered to. Also, the documentary doesn’t shy away from the controversies in Francis’s past, including the Dirty War and his contentious relationship with the secular leaders of Argentina, notably Néstor and Christina Kirchner, the previous and current presidents. However, not all of the talking heads in the documentary are particularly informative, including one of his biographers. Largely chronological at its start, the second half of the documentary shifts to a more issue-based organization, and this half wanders to some extent and could have been tightened and shortened. Still, the overall picture which emerges of the first Pope in history from the Southern Hemisphere is a strong portrait of transparent honesty, deep Christian faith, and passionate service to the poor and disadvantaged of Argentina and the world. This documentary would likely be most useful for introductory religion classes on Catholicism, Catholic congregations in the West with little knowledge of Pope Francis, and any general audience curious about his life and ministry.