Pope Francis – a Radical Reformer: Rebranding the Church

Pope Francis was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, as Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Bergoglio) to Mario, a native of the Piedmont region of Italy, and Regina, an Argentine of Piedmontese descent. Though Bergoglio was born an Argentine, he was raised in the culture, faith, and tradition of an Italian. As a child he spent most of his time with his grandmother, Rosa, who taught him to pray and educated him in faith.