Abstract:

Pope Francis has endeared himself to many people by means of his simple, unassuming, and down-to-earth attitude, evident in his first public appearance as Pope at the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on the night of his election. Taking with him his experiences as Cardinal-Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he laid down his desire for the Church – to be a Church whose doors are always open, especially to the marginalized. This study seeks to find out the place of the welcoming Church in the communion ecclesiology of the Holy Father. It examines the communion ecclesiology of Pope Francis as well as his solidarity with the poor. The study also looks at Pope Francis’ vision of a welcoming Church and his preference in going to the peripheries of existence. It concludes that the Church’s communion is realized by being welcoming to others. For this reason, the Holy Father always opens new avenues to ensure that everyone has a place in the Church, saint and sinner alike.

Final Defense:

Board of Examiners: Fr. Ronald Bagley, C.J.M., D.Min. (Principal Examiner), Dr. Joaquin Yap, Jr., S.W. (Adviser), and Fr. Manuel Francisco, S.J., S.T.D.

Proposal Defense:

Board of Examiners: Dr. Joaquin Yap, S.W. (Adviser), Fr. Manuel Francisco, S.J., S.T.D., and Fr. Stefano Kim Young-hoon, S.J., S.T.D.