Alexis 4/23/25
On April 21st, Pope Francis died of cerebral stroke and heart failure after he had battled pneumonia. Pope Francis came to the papacy after Pope Benedict the 16th retired on March 13th, 2013. He took Francis as his papal name in honor of St. Francis, the patron saint of the poor.
Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires Argentina on December 17th, 1936, making him the first non-european and first South American pope As a child, Pope Francis was born into poverty, giving him a unique perspective and understanding on the struggles of the impoverished. His background also contributed to his humility shown when he resided in a guest house rather than the Apostolic Palace.
He was quite popular because of his focus on social justice. He advocated for refugees and spoke about climate change. He also worked to punish sexual abuse within the church by issuing laws for mandatory reporting of abuse and punishing bushops who covered up abuse. Despite the Pope’s efforts, some people believed that the priests found guilty were not punished enough.
The Pope was also quite famous for saying this regarding homosexuals, “If they [gay priests] accept the Lord and have goodwill, who am I to judge them?”. His acceptance of homosexuality as well as the wider LGBTQIA+ community has also made him a controversial figure amongst conservatives, coupled with his remarks on Trump’s deportation of migrants and his opposition to the far right.
Pope Francis, both beloved and controversial, had a deep impact on the Catholic Church and the world. His loss is immense. May his successor live up to his legacy.