Pope Francis: A Pontiff Who Reshaped the Papacy and Sparked a Global Conversation

Pope Francis, the first Latin American and Jesuit pontiff in history, has died, the Vatican confirmed Monday in a video statement. His death closes a transformative chapter in the Catholic Church, marked by bold efforts toward reform, fierce internal opposition, and an unwavering commitment to simplicity, inclusivity, and social justice.

A New Era Begins

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Francis was elected pope on March 13, 2013, following the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. His election broke centuries of tradition: he was the first non-European pope in 1,300 years and the first to choose the name “Francis,” inspired by the humble saint from Assisi known for his advocacy for the poor and care for creation.

His first words from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica—“Brothers and sisters, good evening”—set the tone for a pontificate that would challenge norms, favor mercy over dogma, and bring the papacy closer to the people.

Simplicity and Service

According to Reuters, Francis shunned the trappings of his office from the outset. He refused the grand papal apartments, preferring to live in the modest Vatican guesthouse. He traded the bulletproof limousine for a blue Ford Focus and wore his old black shoes and a simple silver-plated cross. His vision was clear: “How I would like a Church that is poor and for the poor.”

His first papal trip was to Lampedusa, Italy, where he mourned migrants who died crossing the Mediterranean. That visit foreshadowed a pontificate deeply attuned to the plight of refugees, the marginalized, and victims of human trafficking.

Reformer and Controversial Figure

Francis inherited a divided Church and did little to conceal his intention to reshape it. He made significant structural reforms, overhauling the Vatican’s constitution and allowing lay Catholics—including women—to head major departments. He also named more women to senior roles than any of his predecessors.

Clashes with Conservatives

The tension reached a boiling point in the U.S., where conservative Catholicism often intertwined with right-wing politics. Francis faced public opposition from prominent figures like Cardinals Raymond Burke and the late George Pell, the latter calling his papacy a “catastrophe” in an anonymous memo revealed in 2023.

FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis blesses a faithful during the weekly general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican, August 9, 2023. Vatican Media/­Handout via REUTERS/File Photo ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

Critics accused Francis of diluting doctrine. He was condemned by traditionalists for approving conditional blessings for same-sex couples, challenging the Latin Mass, and denouncing the death penalty in all cases. Some conservative cardinals even accused him of heresy and likened him to the Antichrist.

Francis responded with characteristic restraint—until 2023, when he stripped Burke of his Vatican privileges and removed outspoken U.S. Bishop Joseph Strickland.

Confronting Scandal

Francis’ tenure was also shadowed by the Church’s long-running sexual abuse crisis. Though the bulk of the abuses predated his papacy, he was criticized for initially defending figures accused of cover-ups. His turning point came in 2018 after a disastrous visit to Chile, prompting him to order a full investigation that led to mass resignations among the Chilean bishops.

He later issued reforms making bishops directly accountable and abolished the “pontifical secrecy” that had cloaked abuse cases—measures hailed as steps in the right direction but criticized by survivors as insufficient.

Voice for Peace and Justice

Francis championed causes beyond Church walls. He was a relentless critic of war, capitalism without conscience, environmental destruction, and arms proliferation. His encyclical Laudato Si’ became a rallying cry for climate action. He mediated a U.S.-Cuba thaw in 2014 and signed a controversial agreement with China over bishop appointments.

Despite frequent appeals for peace in Ukraine and Gaza, he failed to broker major diplomatic breakthroughs. His labeling of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill as “Putin’s altar boy” marked a new low in Vatican-Russian Church relations.

FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis plays with a ball as members of Circus of Cuba perform during the Wednesday general audience in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican January 2, 2019. REUTERS/Tony Gentile/File Photo

A Global Pastor

Francis traveled widely, making over 45 international trips, often to places never before visited by a pope, including Iraq, the UAE, and Mongolia. His 2019 visit to the Arabian Peninsula and signing of a document on interreligious fraternity was seen as historic—and heretical by some traditionalists.

In response to Islamist extremism and global terrorism, he called killing in God’s name “Satanic,” and he openly challenged organized crime during a visit to Sicily.

Human Touch and the “Francis Effect”

Francis’ style was deeply personal. Known as the “cold call pope,” he often phoned ordinary people who wrote to him. His openness with journalists, compassion for LGBT people—“Who am I to judge?”—and heartfelt appeals during COVID-19 earned him widespread admiration beyond Catholic circles.

He never lost touch with his roots. A fan of Buenos Aires’ San Lorenzo football team, he remained “a man of the streets,” even as pope.

Final Years and Legacy

His health declined in later years, with surgery in 2021 and mobility issues confining him to a wheelchair. But he remained mentally sharp and active, navigating a complex world and a Church in flux.

Francis’ legacy is a Church more engaged with the world, more open to dialogue, and less confined by tradition. His papacy leaves a profound impact—marked by courage, contradiction, and compassion.

In his own words, spoken during the darkest days of the pandemic: “We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other. On this boat… are all of us.”

Now, the Church must decide who will steer next.

Source: tovima.com