Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Argentine Jesuit pontiff who shook the Catholic Church with his transformative spirit, his pastoral approach, and his defense of the marginalized, has died at the age of 88.
Francis was the face of a relatable Christianity, far removed from palaces and rooted in the “villas miseria,” prisons, and existential peripheries.
His election in 2013, following the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, marked a turning point: for the first time, the name of a Latin American Jesuit—inspired by the poor man of Assisi—resonated in St. Peter’s Square.
His simple style—buses instead of limousines, phone calls to the sick—broke protocols and showed that the Gospel should not be elitist, but rather “smell like sheep,” a phrase he coined to underscore the closeness a leader must have with his flock.
Francis’s papacy was marked by a series of bold reforms aimed at modernizing the Church and making it more inclusive. He urged the Church to be more compassionate toward the divorced and remarried, and to embrace LGBTQ+ people.
His encyclical “Laudato Si'” issued an urgent call to action on climate change and environmental justice, making him a leading voice on the world stage on these critical issues.
Francis confronted the sexual abuse scandal that challenged the moral authority of the Catholic Church and cracked down on clerical abuse, establishing new norms to hold bishops accountable and protect children.
His decentralizing approach to Church government, giving more authority to local bishops, drew both praise and criticism.
While his critics accused him of diluting traditional Catholic doctrine, his supporters praised him for bringing the Church back to its evangelical roots and for building bridges with other faiths.
His historic visit to Cuba in 2015 and his role in mediating US-Cuba relations during the Barack Obama administration were a testament to his diplomatic skill and dedication to helping solve contemporary problems with the support of faith.
He was critical of immigration policies and border control since the first Trump era. “Anyone who thinks only about building walls, wherever they are, and not about building bridges, is not a Christian.”
Pope Francis’s legacy is complex and multifaceted. He was a pastor, a reformer, and a world leader who left an indelible mark on the Catholic Church and the world.
His emphasis on mercy, compassion, and social justice will continue to inspire generations to come.
Latin America and the world mourn their father, but celebrate his legacy: a Church that must be a “field hospital,” not a fortress of power. In his own words: “Do not get used to injustice; fight for dignity even if the world tells you it is useless.”
