2013 papal conclave In October 2013, the Italian weekly magazine "Panorama" reported that the US National Security Agency had targeted cardinals in the conclave for surveillance, including Cardinal Bergoglio. An NSA spokesperson denied this. 2013 papal conclave The papal conclave of 2013 was convened to elect a pope to succeed Pope Benedict XVI following his resignation on 28 February 2013. After the 115 participating cardinal-electors gathered, they set 12 March 2013 as the beginning of the conclave. On the fifth ballot, the conclave elected Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, SJ, Archbishop of Buenos Aires. He took the pontifical name of "Francis". On 11 February
Catholic Church in Argentina July 2010, Argentina was one of the first countries in the Latin America that legalized same-sex marriage, putting Argentina at odd's ends with the Catholic Church. Protesters, largely consisting of members of the Argentine Catholic Church and Evangelical and Protestant groups were sparked against the legislation, while demonstrating in front of the Congress. Argentina’s Synod of Bishops called upon Catholics to oppose politicians who supported the bill. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires and Primate of Argentina, has said that if a proposed bill giving same-sex couples the opportunity to marry and adopt children should be approved,