Pope Francis was one of the most popular popes in decades and a towering figure on the world stage. The outspoken Pope addressed not just Catholics but the men and women of our time. The Pope lent his voice to almost every modern issue facing the world, often taking the side of the marginalised and vulnerable.
Francis redefined the papacy with a vision that intertwined social justice, pastoral tenderness, theological depth, scriptural fidelity, philosophical openness, and an indelible human warmth. His extraordinary reforms, rooted in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, have left an indelible mark on the Church and the world, heralding a new era of mercy, synodality, and global engagement.
As the poet Dante Alighieri wrote, “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.” Francis ensured the Church would not stand silent.
A man who dismantled clericalism
His reforms of the Roman Curia, culminating in the 2022 apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, decentralised ecclesiastical power, prioritising evangelisation over doctrinal gatekeeping. By appointing women and laypeople to senior Vatican roles, Francis dismantled centuries of clerical exclusivity, aligning the Church with Vatican II’s vision of a collaborative Body of Christ. Though controversial, his restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass through Traditionis Custodes (2021) aimed to unify the Church under Vatican II’s liturgical reforms, ensuring that worship fosters communion rather than division.
A Champion of Human Rights
He was an unwavering advocate for human rights, standing as a global conscience in a world torn by conflict and suffering. His tireless pleas for peace during the ongoing wars between Israel and Palestine, and Russia and Ukraine, echoed the Gospel’s call to be peacemakers.
“War is a defeat for humanity,” he lamented in a 2023 address, urging world leaders to seek dialogue over destruction.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Francis’s concern for the poor was palpable; he established funds to support those devastated by economic hardship and personally ensured that vaccines reached marginalised communities. His agony for migrants, fleeing violence and poverty, was a constant refrain, as he called for borders to be bridges, not barriers.
“Each migrant has a name, a face, and a story,” he reminded the world, embodying a Church that champions the dignity of every human person, especially in times of crisis.
A man of gender sensitivity
His appointment of around 20 women to positions of authority in the Vatican is unprecedented. Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis highlighted the struggles of women in society. He took important steps to expand opportunities for women in the church and address its patriarchal structure.
A voice against war and suffering
Pope Francis was an unwavering advocate for human rights, standing as a global conscience in a world torn by conflict and suffering. His tireless pleas for peace during the ongoing wars. In the war in Gaza, Francis loudly and repeatedly criticised Israel’s actions, and urged for an investigation into whether the conflict amounted to genocide – a charge Israel denies. Francis made several visits to the Middle East during his 12-year tenure, including the first papal visit to Iraq in 2021, during which he addressed the scars left by religious strife and extremism. He used his last public address, from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday, to condemn the “deplorable humanitarian situation” in Gaza and implored Israel and Hamas to “call for a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people.
A man of Inclusion and Diversity
Pope Francis’s papacy was marked by a strong emphasis on inclusion and diversity, advocating for a Church that embraces all people, especially those who are marginalised or excluded. He challenged traditional doctrines by showing support for LGBTQ+ believers, migrants, and the poor. His approach was rooted in the belief that diversity is a richness and that the Church should be a welcoming place for everyone.
A Reformer of Our Times
“Ecclesia semper reformanda est”—The Church must always be reformed. The phrase signifies that the Church, as an institution, should constantly be in a state of renewal, not in a literal sense of changing doctrines or structures, but in a deeper sense of conversion and striving to better reflect Christ’s teachings and mission. Pope Francis has embraced this concept, emphasising the need for the Church to be open to the Holy Spirit and to be willing to undergo changes and transformations to better serve the world. He has used the phrase “semper reformanda” in his own writings and speeches, connecting it to the Church’s ongoing mission of proclaiming the Gospel.
A leader who dared to dream
He was a pontiff who dared to dream of a Church that is “a mother with an open heart,” welcoming all to the banquet of God’s love. His social advocacy, pastoral tenderness, theological vision, scriptural fidelity, philosophical openness, human warmth, and unprecedented outreach to Dalits have reshaped the Catholic imagination, inspiring a generation to live the Gospel with courage and joy.
Man of Margins During his pontificate from July 2013 to March 2025, Pope Francis appointed seven Dalit bishops, bringing the total to nine in the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, a historic step toward proportional representation in the Church’s hierarchy. These actions reflect his unwavering commitment to the “poorest of the poor,” as Cardinal Poola himself noted, and embody the Gospel’s call to uplift the downtrodden.
Father of tenderness
The Church is not a tollhouse; it is the house of the Father, where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems,” he wrote, sparking debate yet affirming that doctrine must serve the human person, not enslave them. Cardinal Walter Kasper, echoing Francis, noted that mercy is “the key to Christian life,” shifting the Church’s gaze from scholastic rigidity to the healing embrace of Christ.
Lover of nature
His encyclical Laudato si’ (2015) stands as a magisterial treatise on environmental stewardship, weaving Catholic social teaching with a prophetic summons to care for our common home. “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth,” he warned, yet his call to ecological conversion resonated globally, positioning the Church as a moral vanguard in the fight against climate change.
Shepherd after the heart of God
Pope Francis’ philosophical vision also informed his critique of clericalism and self-referentiality. “A Church caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures is a Church that has lost its soul,” he warned, advocating for a dynamic faith that risks encounter with the world. His emphasis on discernment, rooted in Ignatian spirituality, invited Catholics to navigate the complexities of modern life with wisdom and grace. As Søren Kierkegaard observed, “To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself”—Francis dared greatly, and the Church is richer for it.
An Icon of Our Times
Pope Francis was a profoundly human pope, whose warmth, humour, and simplicity captivated millions. His love for music, literature, and art—evident in his admiration for Wilhelm Furtwängler and German Romanticism—revealed a soul attuned to beauty and transcendence. His personal encounters, from embracing the sick to consoling victims of abuse, embodied the joy of the Gospel he preached. Even in controversy, such as his handling of the sex abuse crisis or his ambiguous remarks on sexuality, Francis remained a pastor who sought to bind wounds rather than inflict them. “I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting, and dirty because it has been out on the streets,” he declared, a testament to his apostolic zeal.
From the slums of Buenos Aires to the halls of the Vatican, he carried the cries of the marginalised, urging the Church to be a “poor Church for the poor.”
The parable of the Good Samaritan inspired his outreach to the marginalised, while the Sermon on the Mount shaped his vision of a Church that is “bruised, hurting, and dirty” from its mission in the world.
As he once said, “A Christian who is too attached to riches has lost his way.” Francis’ departure was a sermon in itself, guiding the Church toward authentic witness.
Love you, Papa Francis, forever and ever.
