In a surprising twist of events, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis is in critical condition due to an asthmatic respiratory crisis. For those unfamiliar with his journey, Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936. Raised in a typical working-class family, Pope Francis eventually rose through the Roman Catholic Church’s ranks to become its first Latin American pontiff in 2013. He took the title Francis after Saint Francis of Assisi, a monk revered for his dedication to poverty and compassion—a theme recurring throughout Pope Francis’s leadership.
When white smoke soared over the Vatican in March 2013, Pope Francis’s election was more than just filling a vacancy; it heralded the dawn of change. In a style not quite matching the traditional outbursts at the Vatican, Pope Francis quickly became known for his distinct approach. Humility and practicality defined his reign. He sidestepped luxuries typical of a papal life, choosing instead to stay in modest quarters and ride public transport. With such choices, he aimed to remind everyone that a servant of the Church should live a life in sync with the teachings of simplicity and humility. Critics might point out the fine line between such modesty and austerity, yet Francis pressed on, painting a new image of papal leadership.
Despite being rooted in traditional Jesuit training, Pope Francis brought a breath of fresh air to the corridors of the Vatican, sometimes drowning in incense and outdated thinking. Determined to revitalize the Church, he urged Catholics to rekindle their faith and share it with genuine joy and charity. Not quite a radical, but certainly not your average status-quo defender, he took bold actions, like washing the feet of women and non-Catholics. Such acts jolted the Church’s traditionalists, leading them to wonder if change was blowing in faster than the speed of thought—but perhaps that was precisely the idea.
A figure known for his life long dedication to the poor, Pope Francis endeavored to connect with those often sidelined in society. He took significant steps to address modern challenges, including an outspoken stance on the environment, understanding that climate change disproportionately affects the less fortunate. His encyclical on this issue rattled many who believed global warming to be nothing more than an inconvenient myth. It seems when a pope steps outside of religious confines to speak on such issues, a few eyebrows are bound to rise as high as hopes from his followers.
In his later years, Pope Francis’s health showed signs of wear, no doubt a reality check for those who perhaps saw him as infallible. Despite undergoing surgery and needing assistance from wheelchairs and walkers, he continued to lead. Some speculated he might retire, although he seemed determined to live out his papacy in full. As his legacy sits under scrutiny, some note with irony that the man who tried to steer the Church towards inclusivity faced opposition from within. Still, not one to shy away from criticism, Pope Francis believed it was an indication of freedom in speech—another odd but refreshing notion for a system entrenched in centuries-old traditions. Regardless of the Church’s future direction, his legacy remains as a pontiff carving a new path through complex modern issues, determined to leave a mark that even history will struggle to brush off.
