Grazie Pozo Christie is a diagnostic radiologist in south Florida who loves her Catholic faith and loves the first pope from the Americas and the evangelical opportunities his popularity has given Catholics in the last year. A Hispanic wife and mother and fellow with the Catholic Association, she talks a bit about the past year with Pope Francis. (Full disclosure: She has also been through a Catholic Voices USA communications weekend, where I am a founding director.)
Is it significant that we’ve seen the Church through a man from South America this year? What’s different and important about this aspect of Pope Francis?
GRAZIE POZO CHRISTIE: Very significant. He is very much a man of his culture, which is warm, urgent, and emphatic, less “P.C” than American culture. My American husband is always shocked at how frank we Latinos are, about all sorts of things that in his culture are taboo subjects. I think we give each other more room to be spontaneous and open. I see that very much in Pope Francis. And it’s a spontaneity that is always coupled with a warm affection, the kind that invites hugs, the kind of hug you hunger for after a long journey.
