Pope blasts ‘radical individualism’ as he meets with Argentines ahead of big canonization

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has met with Argentine pilgrims who are in town for this weekend’s canonization of the first female saint from his home country. Francis blasted what he called the “radical individualism” infecting today’s society during the audience Friday. Francis held up as a model instead the 18th-century Argentine laywoman lovingly known as Mama Antula, who ministered to the poor and helped keep Jesuit spirituality alive in Argentina after the pope’s own religious order was suppressed. On Sunday, Francis will canonize Mama Antula in a ceremony that will also mark his first meeting with Argentina’s new libertarian president, Javier Milei.