Duquesne Professor Weighs In On Pope As Time's "Person Of The Year"

PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) - Time Magazine announced its annual "Person of the Year" Wednesday, choosing Pope Francis.

The magazine honored the Pope, saying that in his short time as the new leader of the Catholic Church, he has been able to change the perception of the institution.

Nick Cafardi, Professor of Law at Duquesne University and an avid follower of what goes on in the Vatican, talked about Time's choice.

Cafardi says he thinks that the Pope was the best choice based on how easily people have been able to see his genuine spirit.

"I think it's a matter of not just the thing he emphasizes, but the way he lives his own life," he said. "It's very clear that when he talks about concern for the poor that's the way he lives and I think that resonates with the world."

Pope Francis has made headlines early in his role with his comments regarding many of the controversial issues the church has been battling for years.

Cafardi says he's impressed by the impact the Pope has had without necessarily changing tradition.

"This Pope is not going to change anything in the deposit of faith, but the way we approach things is just as important as what we say about them," he said. "He has been willing to approach a number of things from a completely different perspective."

Cafardi references his famous statement on the plane ride back from Brazil when he was asked about gay marriage and the Pope responded with, "Who am I to judge?"

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