Remembering Pope Francis (1936-2025)

Pope Francis has passed away at age 88 this Easter Monday, leaving behind a profound legacy as the first Jesuit elected to be pope and as a beacon of openness in a Catholic Church otherwise known for its traditionally conservative leadership. In a statement, the Vatican said Francis died from a stroke.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he committed himself to the priesthood as a young man and eventually rose to become a cardinal. Elected to the papacy in March 2013, Bergoglio became the first pope from the Americas, as well as the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere.

Francis was the first pope in half a millennium to ascend to the role while another pope still lived, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. At times, the relationship between Francis and his predecessor seemed fraught with tension, with reports that the more traditional Benedict occasionally sought to undermine Francis. Some close to the Church feared that two different popes with wildly different views may even result in a schism – though that never materialized. 

A New Direction For the Vatican

Francis also instituted reforms to address the sexual abuse scandals which have haunted the Church for years. Under Francis, the Vatican established protocols for reporting abuse and cracked down on Catholic leaders who sought to cover it up. Several high profile leaders were defrocked following these reforms, including Cardinal Theodore McCarrick in 2019. 

Francis often called on his flock to be good environmental stewards and was a vocal advocate for addressing climate change, which he believed to be one of the most urgent issues facing the world today. In his ecology encyclical Laudato Si, he acknowledged climate change was largely “a result of human activity,” urging global reforms to heal the “irresponsible use and abuse” of the earth’s resources.

An Agent of Peace

From the onset of his papacy, Pope Francis was committed to taking the Church in a more progressive and open direction, emphasizing compassion for marginalized communities around the globe, including refugees, the global poor, and the LGBTQ+ community. 

Francis continuously condemned global indifference to the plight of migrants, going so far as to call it a “grave sin” to turn them away. His first trip outside of the Vatican as pope was to an Italian island called Lampedusa, where he tossed a wreath into the Mediterranean Sea in honor of hundreds of North African asylum seekers who died there seeking a better life.

He frequently called for peace in global conflicts, from Ukraine, to Gaza, and beyond. In 2019, Francis traveled to South Sudan seeking an end to the war there and famously kissed the feet of Sudanese leaders as he pleaded with them to find peace. 

In his last public remarks, during a prayer delivered on Easter Sunday, the pope reiterated his calls for peace in Gaza: “I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace.”

Complex Views on Gay Issues

Francis also sought to smooth friction between the Catholic Church and the gay community. In 2013, Francis famously remarked “Who am I to judge?” when asked about gay priests, indicating a radically inclusive shift in both tone and action on the Church’s complicated relationship with the LGBTQ+ community very early in his papacy. 

However, his views on the issue were clearly complex, and those eager for a major shift in Catholic teachings on homosexuality never got their wish. 

Although Francis advocated for basic legal protections such as same-sex civil unions, his traditional views on marriage did not appear to shift. In 2014, he reaffirmed the church's stance, saying that "marriage is between a man and a woman." In 2021, he reiterated that message, saying that the Church "cannot bless sin" when asked about blessing same-sex unions.

But he did speak about embracing and accepting gay people. “Homosexuals have a right to be part of the family,” the Pontiff said. “They’re children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out, or be made miserable because of it.”

And just two years later, Francis changed course slightly, saying that Vatican blessings could be offered to same-sex couples – they just couldn't be marriage blessings specifically. 

This seesawing frustrated many LGBTQ+ rights advocates, who had hoped for more substantial policy changes from the Vatican under Francis' tenure. 

No Stranger to Controversial Remarks

Clearly, the pontiff wasn't afraid to wade into controversial territory when speaking in public. Francis consistently made headlines with his frank and open guidance on those controversial topics. 

During Donald Trump's first presidential campaign in 2016, the pope made global news when he said that Trump "wasn't a real Christian" – a remark that prompted backlash from the evangelical right and Trump's supporters. 

He also raised eyebrows by calling clergy celibacy – a long-held tradition in the Catholic Church – "temporary."

Regardless of what one's opinions are about his actions, the depth of Francis' impact is undeniable. During his 12 years in the papacy, Pope Francis steered the Church in a more modern and socially-conscious direction, leaving an indelible mark on the world and the billion-plus Catholics that inhabit it. 

Reactions to the News

Messages from world leaders poured in following news of Francis' passing.

Vice President JD Vance, who met with the Pope on Sunday, also offered his thoughts:

However, not everyone was eager to celebrate the pontiff. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene appeared to call the pope "evil" and insinuate God was involved in his death:

The Monastery’s Best of Pope Francis:

Curious to reflect further on Francis’ legacy? We searched the archives for our most popular articles featuring Pope Francis over the years and collected them below:

Pope Francis and JD Vance Spar Over 'Ordo Amoris'

Pope Francis: Letting Migrants Die a "Grave Sin"

Pope Francis: Western Elites, Corporations to Blame for Climate Change

Pope Francis Says That Being Gay Is "Not a Crime"

Pope Francis Calls for Gun Control in the U.S.

Pope Francis Declares Death Penalty Is Never Acceptable

Priests Can Have Sex After All? Pope Francis Calls Clergy Celibacy "Temporary"

Pope Francis Doesn’t Believe in Hell? Fake News, Says Vatican