Synopsis
The Francis Effect takes a critical and in-depth look at how one man has quickly changed the face of Catholicism at a moment when no one really expected it. Pope Benedict XVI's announcement that he would be the first pope to resign in more than seven hundreds years sent shockwaves through the Catholic Church and raised serious questions about its future direction. One month later, after only five ballots, the Cardinals elected the serene and unassuming Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires as the 266th pope. The newest "Bishop of Rome" would take the name Francis, and from the moment he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, he won the hearts of the people. With characteristic humility, simplicity and closeness to the poor, he has initiated a fundamental reform of the Vatican's government, challenged a "globalization of indifference," and became the most talked about person in the world.