Pope Francis, Poverty, and the Third Persona

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

The Journal of Gender, Race & Justice

Abstract

During his time in office, Pope Francis has shown a special affinity for the subject of poverty. Francis, a Jesuit priest by training, has exhibited a lifestyle, complete with attention to serving others, that effectively complements the Catholic Church’s message on poverty.

Because religious organizations like the Catholic Church can be strong social actors that endeavor to change the frameworks of government and other institutions, popes sometimes become involved in political issues that interface with religious issues. As such, when religious leaders like popes offer resistance to the international status quo, religious discourses enter the often-secular public sphere.

This paper examines the discursive treatment of poverty that Pope Francis has provided. Use of the rhetorical theory concept of the third persona, or the marginalized in discourse, in this case the world’s poor, will aid the present study. As such, the paper, recognizing that rhetoric has the power to alter the world, argues that Francis employed rhetoric to deconstruct the poor as third personae.

Although, via speeches, homilies, interviews, and other genres of communication, Francis has offered many statements on poverty, this paper will focus on the statements regarding poverty that Francis made in his first two book-length papal writings, Evangelii Gaudium: On the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today’s World and Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. The rationale for examining these texts is that major writings allow a papal author to develop his ideas in depth. As such, the literate world can gain an in-depth understanding of the Pope’s treatment of poverty.

First Page

367

Last Page

393

Publication Date

2018

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