Pope Francis wants brave clergy ready to fight for a strong church

Pope Francis washes the feet of inmates at the Civitavecchia prison in Civitavecchia, Italy, April 14, 2022. [File, Standard]

Ten years ago this week, Pope Francis stepped out on the Vatican balcony, waved to the tumultuous crowd and said, 'Buona Sera' (good evening).

Those few words and warm gestures revealed a great deal about the man just chosen to lead the 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide. The watching millions sensed that this Pontiff was different as the 'man from the end of the earth' instantly radiated a sense of expectation, hope and joy to an aging church, exhausted from the weight of scandals and fast losing touch with its mission to the world.