Pope Francis had recently appealed to religious leaders to make humble choices when it came to choosing a car. And in light of that plea the Pope arrived in a modest Ford Focus on 14 July 2013 to lead his first public prayer at the papal summer home at Castel Gandolfo, Rome.
The Ford is a far cry from the Pope’s usual mode of transport and has a price tag of $16,000 (R157,000). If that wasn’t enough, Pope Francis has decided not to stay at the papal summer home. He only visited for the day. Pope Benedict XVI had a custom-made Renault, BMW X5 and a Mercedes.
Pope Francis said:
It hurts me when I see a priest or nun with the latest-model car. You can’t do this. A car is necessary to do a lot of work, but, please, choose a more humble one. If you like the fancy one, just think about how many children are dying of hunger in the world.
[Source: New York Post]
