Journalist and Vatican analyst reflects on 'Papacy of Francis'

BOARDMAN — With wit and enthusiasm, John Allen engaged the 288 people who attended the lecture sponsored by the First Friday Club of Greater Youngstown.

The program was today at Antone’s Banquet Center.

Allen, associate editor of the Boston Globe and senior Vatican analyst for CNN, spoke on “The Papacy of Francis.” The speaker addressed the “Francis effect” and the three pillars of his papacy. “He is the most popular religious leader on the planet and the most popular leader in the world,” Allen said. That claim could be supported by the pope’s 12 million Twitter followers. “Only Lady Gaga has more,” Allen said.

The pope’s approval rating is the envy of politicians. Allen said 80 percent of Americans “approve” of the pope while 91 percent of American Catholics feel that way. “That’s amazing in the divided Church in America,” he said.

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