Pope Francis obit: The people’s pontiff who reimagined the Catholic conscience

Pope Francis, who succumbed to the most difficult health crisis of his life, had been deeply engaged in issues of peace across the globe, including the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, but never more intensely than his concern in the Middle East, particularly Palestine and Israel’s iron-fisted rule in that territory.

During the May 2021 escalation between Israel and Hamas, Pope Francis expressed concern over the loss of civilian lives, particularly among Palestinian families in Gaza. In his address on May 16, 2021, he stated: “I appeal for calm and, to those in charge, for an end to the use of weapons and for paths of dialogue and peace to be opened. Many innocent people have died, among them children. This is terrible and unacceptable.”

Interfaith dialogue

He urged the international community to take concrete steps towards peace and reconciliation rather than allowing further destruction and suffering, an appeal that seemingly went largely unheard in the din of realpolitik.

Francis, loved by various people, as much as he is feared and looked upon with suspicion by many orthodox sections in his own Catholic church and in the counsels of the western world, consistently emphasised the need for justice for the Palestinian people, recognising their right to self-determination and dignified living conditions.

His calls for peace often acknowledge the suffering Palestinians endure due to displacement, blockades, and hostilities.

Two-state solution

In meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Pope Francis underscored the Vatican’s support for a negotiated two-state solution as the path to lasting peace. During his 2014 visit to the Holy Land, he stated: “There is a need to intensify efforts and initiatives aimed at creating conditions for a stable peace based on justice, recognition of rights, and mutual security.”

Prime Minister Modi, during his two visits to the Vatican, hugged the Catholic head, but his government never extended the formal invitation which would have allowed for a Papal visit. The pope came to Sri Lanka and to other countries in South and Southeast Asia, but never to India.

In a 2022 Christmas message, he stated: “The Holy Land, the land of Christ’s birth, remains torn by divisions and suffering. Let us pray for our Palestinian and Israeli brothers and sisters, that dialogue may prevail over destruction.”

His concern for the people of Gaza, and of the larger Palestine, were not a stand-alone testament, though that alone would have cemented his place in history as challenging traditional international political wisdom of backing the powerful against the weak.

Unifying factor of Catholic community

In his decade-long stay as the single unifying factor of the Catholic community, with its myriad Rites and ethnic communities and cultures across the globe, Francis had been involved in an engagement with international faith leaders and religious figures, particularly the major religions of Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

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After his election in 2013, Francis made interfaith dialogue a central theme of his papacy. His engagement with Islam was particularly notable, marked by historic meetings with senior Islamic figures and efforts to promote mutual understanding between Christianity and Islam.

He underlined the importance of dialogue between different faiths as a means to promote peace, combat extremism, and foster fraternity. In his 2020 encyclical Fratelli Tutti (2020), he underscored the necessity of building bridges between religious communities.

Engagement with Islam

Pope Francis’s engagement with Islam was a defining feature of his papacy. Through landmark meetings with figures like Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, he reinforced the Vatican’s commitment to interfaith dialogue.

His efforts, including the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity and his visits to Muslim-majority nations, highlighted his vision of global religious fraternity. While challenges remain, his work paved the way for greater understanding and cooperation between Christianity and Islam, contributing to peace and coexistence in an increasingly polarised world.

One of Pope Francis’s most significant engagements with Islam had been his relationship with Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the most prestigious institution of Sunni Islamic learning. The two first met in May 2016 at the Vatican, resuming ties that had been strained since 2011 due to disagreements between Al-Azhar and the Holy See under Pope Benedict XVI. Their meeting signified a renewed commitment to interfaith dialogue.

Deep commitment to dialogue

In February 2019, Pope Francis and Grand Imam el-Tayeb co-signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together in Abu Dhabi, marking a historic moment in Christian-Muslim relations. The document promotes religious tolerance, denounces violence in God’s name, and calls for cooperation between faiths.

The signing took place during Pope Francis’s visit to the UAE, the first-ever papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula.

In April 2017, Pope Francis visited Cairo to participate in the International Peace Conference hosted by Al-Azhar. In his speech, he called for a rejection of religious fanaticism and emphasised the shared values between Christianity and Islam. The visit strengthened Vatican-Al-Azhar relations and reinforced the commitment of both institutions to combat religious extremism.

Pope Francis’s historic visit to Iraq in March 2021 was another milestone in his engagement with Islam. He met with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most revered cleric in Shi’a Islam. Their discussion in Najaf centred on peace, coexistence, and the rights of religious minorities, particularly Iraq’s persecuted Christian community.

Protection of minorities

This meeting was significant because it marked a rare public engagement by Ayatollah Sistani, who has generally remained outside the political sphere. Pope Francis’s visit was his support for Iraq’s diverse religious communities and the importance of Christian-Muslim unity in a region ravaged by sectarian conflict.

In February 2018, Pope Francis welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the Vatican. While the meeting addressed various geopolitical issues, including the status of Jerusalem, it showed the Vatican’s ongoing engagement with Muslim-majority nations.

The Pope also repeatedly called for the protection of Christian minorities in the Middle East while advocating for Palestinian rights and interfaith harmony. Pope Francis frequently spoke against Islamophobia and urged Christians to avoid equating Islam with terrorism.

Concerns, criticism

In a 2016 press conference, he stated: “I do not think it is right to identify Islam with violence. It is not fair and it is not true.” He instead called for addressing socio-political factors that contribute to radicalisation.

Despite his efforts, Pope Francis’s outreach to Islam faced criticism from various quarters. Traditionalist Catholics expressed concerns that his engagement with Islamic leaders diluted Christian doctrine. Muslim conservatives occasionally questioned the sincerity of Western religious leaders, particularly in light of Western foreign policies in Muslim-majority countries.

However, his commitment to dialogue remained unwavering.

Environmental advocacy

Equally important internationally was his commitment to climate change and environmental advocacy, both of which he had enshrined in important church documents. His 2015 encyclical Laudato Si emphasized the urgency of environmental protection. At COP26 in Glasgow on November 2, 2021, he stated: “The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat. It is a present reality.” (COP26 Address, Vatican News, 2021). Equally important has been the Pope’s support to the global campaign against the death penalty.

In August 2018, Pope Francis approved a revision to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2267), declaring the death penalty “inadmissible in all cases.” In a December 17, 2018 address to the International Commission Against the Death Penalty, he stated: “It is an attack on human dignity.”

The third most important global commitment was the fight against nuclear weapons. In Hiroshima on November 24, 2019, he condemned them: “The possession of nuclear weapons is immoral.” He has endorsed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), urging nations to sign and ratify it.

Caste representation in Catholic Church

It is a pity that Pope Francis never came to India, a country for which he often expressed his admiration and love.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his two visits to the Vatican, both highly publicised in the national media, hugged the Catholic head, but his government never extended the formal invitation which would have allowed for a Papal visit. The pope came to Sri Lanka and to other countries in South and Southeast Asia, but never to India.

Pope Francis first met Modi at the Vatican on October 30, 2021, marking the first meeting between a pope and an Indian leader in two decades. India also marked the failure of the Pope’s office on two important issues — resolution of internal conflicts in the Syro Malabar Catholic church where an important faction is demanding a reform in the liturgy to align with the global practice of priests facing the people in the Eucharistic Mass.

The bitterness between the sections of the clergy had broken out in violence more than once, bringing shame to the faith group in India where Christianity is ancient, but a small minority of just over 2.3 per cent.

The second is the question of expressions and manifestations of caste within the church. The Pope listened carefully to the demands of Indian Catholics of Dalit origin that they be given bishops from the community — at present there are not even 20 bishops of Dalit descent among 180 bishops in the land. On May 29, 2022, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Anthony Poola as India’s first Dalit cardinal, a landmark moment for caste representation in the Catholic Church (Crux, 2022).

On same-gender unions

Pope Francis repeatedly emphasized mercy over rigid enforcement of doctrine. In his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia (2016), he urged priests to approach individuals with pastoral sensitivity rather than strict legalism. While this document primarily addressed divorced and remarried Catholics, its principles have been applied to LGBTQ Catholics as well.

During a 2021 press conference, when asked about LGBTQ individuals receiving the Eucharist, Pope Francis responded: “Communion is not a prize for the perfect but a gift of the Lord for sinners.”

However, Pope Francis did not issue a definitive doctrinal change regarding LGBTQ individuals and Holy Communion, leaving decisions largely to bishops and local clergy. This resulted in diverse practices, with some dioceses adopting an inclusive approach and others maintaining strict adherence to traditional teachings.

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The Catholic Church has consistently upheld that marriage is a sacrament between a man and a woman, rooted in both natural law and biblical tradition. The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) reaffirmed this in 2021, stating that the Church “cannot bless sin,” effectively prohibiting blessings of same-gender unions.

The first Jesuit pope

With over 40 international trips, Pope Francis visited conflict zones, refugee camps, and impoverished nations. His 2023 visit to Mongolia reinforced his commitment to small Catholic communities

Pope Francis was remarkably open about his role, mission, and personal struggles, often using candid language to describe his vision for the Church and his own limitations. His papacy, which began in March 2013, was marked by a commitment to reform, social justice, and pastoral outreach. His own words provide insight into his leadership style, theological priorities, and personal challenges, including his health.

The Pope frequently downplayed the grandeur of the papal office, emphasising service and humility. In his first public appearance as Pope on March 13, 2013, he set the tone for his papacy by saying: “You know that the duty of the conclave was to give Rome a bishop. It seems that my brother cardinals went to the end of the world to get one... but here we are.”

Early days

Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Italian immigrant parents. Raised in a modest household, he developed a strong work ethic and deep faith from an early age. After studying chemistry, he felt a religious calling and joined the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1958. He was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969.

During Argentina’s military dictatorship (1976-1983), Bergoglio served as the Provincial Superior of the Jesuits (1973-1979). His leadership during this period was complex, as he sought to protect persecuted individuals while navigating the dangers posed by the regime. He later admitted to making mistakes but remained committed to social justice.

In 1992, he became Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires, and in 1998, he was appointed Archbishop. Known for his humility, he rejected the grandeur of the archbishop’s palace, opting for a simple apartment and public transport. His focus on the poor and marginalised earned him widespread respect.

In 2001, Pope John Paul II elevated him to cardinal. Following Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, Bergoglio was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. He became the first Jesuit Pope, the first from the Americas, and the first to take the name Francis, honouring St. Francis of Assisi.