Pope Francis, 88, was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs.
Image: Tiziana FABI AFP
AS SOMEONE who was born and raised Catholic but no longer practises the faith, I find myself deeply moved by the passing of Pope Francis. His death at the age of 88 marks the end of an era for the Catholic Church. A time of transformation, humility, and progressive change. Though I may not attend Mass or adhere to Catholic doctrine, the cultural and spiritual heritage of Catholicism remains an integral part of my identity. Pope Francis’s papacy, with its emphasis on compassion, social justice, and inclusivity, resonated with me and many others who share a similar background.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, was a humble revolutionary who reshaped the Catholic Church in ways that few could have anticipated. His journey from Buenos Aires to the papal throne was marked by a deep commitment to serving the poor and marginalised.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he made history as the first pontiff from the Americas when he succeeded Benedict XVI in 2013. His elevation to the papacy represented a significant shift for the Church, recognising Latin America as the region where Catholicism was growing faster compared to Europe.
From the moment of his election, Pope Francis established himself as a pontiff unlike any other in modern times. His first act was to ask the faithful to pray for him rather than immediately blessing them, an early signal of the humility that would define his papacy. In stark contrast to his predecessors, he refused to stand on the customary platform above other archbishops and dressed in simpler vestments. This preference for simplicity reflected his earlier life in Argentina, where he was known to fly economy class and use public transportation between his home and office.
Francis’s papacy was defined by humility, a radical departure from the regal pomp often associated with the Vatican. He refused to live in the lavish Apostolic Palace, opting instead for the modest Casa Santa Marta guesthouse. He was driven in a used Fiat rather than a luxury papal car, washed the feet of prisoners and refugees during Holy Week, and famously declared, “How I would like a Church that is poor and for the poor.”
His pastoral approach resonated deeply with millions of Catholics, particularly in the developing world, where the Church had long been seen as an institution of colonial legacy rather than one of the people. In South Africa, where Catholicism remains a minority faith but one with a strong social justice tradition, Francis’ emphasis on economic inequality, climate justice, and migrant rights found a receptive audience.
His encyclical ‘Laudato Si’, calling for urgent ecological repentance, was particularly influential among African clergy working in communities ravaged by climate change and irresponsible economic development.
Throughout his 12-year papacy, Pope Francis pushed the Church toward a more inclusive and pastoral approach on numerous controversial issues. His famous response when asked about gay clergy, “Who am I to judge?” signalled a significant shift in tone, if not in doctrine, regarding LGBTQ+ individuals. His progressive measures continued in November 2023, when he announced that transgender individuals could be baptised and serve as godparents. This policy shift represented a monumental change for an institution that had previously taken harsh stances on LGBTQ+ issues, such as during the AIDS crisis.
Francis did not hesitate to challenge those within the Church who opposed his progressive vision. In November 2023, he removed Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, one of his most outspoken conservative critics, following an official Church investigation. This decisive action demonstrated his willingness to confront opposition to his reforms and maintain his vision for a more inclusive Church.
The Pope’s progressive agenda extended beyond LGBTQ+ issues to embrace environmental activism, women empowerment within the Church, interfaith dialogue, and advocacy for migrants and refugees. His 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’” firmly established climate change as a moral issue for Catholics worldwide, calling for “swift and unified global action” to combat environmental degradation.
Pope Francis’s papacy transformed the Catholic Church in numerous ways, shifting its focus from doctrinal rigidity to pastoral compassion. He decentralised authority, giving local bishops more autonomy in decision-making, and reformed the Vatican’s finances to increase transparency and accountability. His appointment of cardinals from the global South (Africa, Asia, and Latin America) diversified the College of Cardinals, potentially ensuring his progressive vision would continue beyond his lifetime.
Yet his reformist agenda faced fierce resistance from traditionalists within the Curia, particularly the old guard of European cardinals, who viewed his emphasis on social justice as a distraction from doctrinal orthodoxy. His Synod on the Amazon, which proposed allowing married priests in remote regions, was met with backlash from conservatives who feared it would undermine clerical celibacy. His financial reforms, aimed at cleaning up the Vatican’s scandal-ridden bank, also made him powerful enemies.
Francis also faced significant challenges throughout his pontificate. Conservative elements within the Church resisted his reforms, particularly regarding divorce, homosexuality, and women’s roles within the Church. His handling of the clergy sexual abuse crisis, while more forthright than his predecessors, was criticised by some victims’ advocates as insufficient.
Francis’s greatest legacy may be his attempt at reorientation of the Church towards the margins. He refocused Catholic teaching on poverty, migration, and corporate greed in ways that unsettled both right-wing politicians and wealthy church donors. His critiques of unbridled capitalism, calling it “the dung of the devil”, and his advocacy for refugees drew admiration from progressives but alienated conservative Catholics, particularly in the United States and parts of Europe.
In Africa, where the Church is growing faster than anywhere else, his message of solidarity with the poor found fertile ground. Yet his more liberal stances on divorce and communion for the remarried caused unease among African bishops, many of whom lean theologically conservative. Still, his insistence that the Church must listen to the peripheries rather than dictate from Rome reshaped Catholic discourse in ways that will endure.
The Catholic Church has long been shadowed by conservatism, entrenched traditions, and a history marred by scandal, including sexual crimes, racism, and institutional resistance to change. Pope Francis, acutely aware of these deep-seated issues, sought to steer the Church onto a path of reform and renewal.
He made sweeping changes to canon law to address sexual abuse, ensuring that both clergy and laypeople found guilty of such crimes would face real consequences and that transparency would replace the culture of cover-up that had so often prevailed in the past. Francis also took the bold step of formally expanding women’s roles within the Church, an official recognition that challenged the male-dominated status quo, even as he stopped short of opening the priesthood to women.
His vision for a more humane Church was evident in his focus on the dignity and rights of all people, his advocacy for the marginalised, and his efforts to decentralise Church authority by granting more decision-making power to local bishops and communities.
Yet, despite these significant moves, Francis faced fierce opposition from powerful conservative factions, particularly within the College of Cardinals, who viewed his reforms as a threat to the Church’s traditional identity. Incidents such as the public desecration of Indigenous symbols at the Vatican underscored the intensity of this resistance.
With Pope Francis’s death, the Catholic Church stands at a crossroads. His progressive reforms, while significant, remain vulnerable without his guiding hand. The College of Cardinals, responsible for electing his successor, still contains a substantial conservative faction that may seek to restore a more traditional approach.
The Church now faces a pivotal moment. The next conclave will be a battleground between reformers who wish to continue his vision and traditionalists eager to restore a more rigid, Eurocentric Catholicism. The fact that Francis appointed over 60% of the cardinals who will elect his successor gives some hope for continuity, but the forces of reaction are strong.
If a conservative pope succeeds Francis, many of his initiatives, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion, environmental activism, and decentralised authority, could be rolled back or diminished. Such a shift would disappoint progressive Catholics who embraced Francis’s vision of a “Church for the poor” while potentially reassuring traditionalists concerned about doctrinal clarity.
For Catholics in the Global South, particularly in Latin America and Africa, such a shift would be deeply disappointing. Francis’s papacy was proof that the Church could be more than a European institution imposing its will on the rest of the world. His death leaves a vacuum, and whether his vision survives will depend on whether the cardinals have the courage to choose another pope in his mould or whether they retreat into the safety of tradition.
Regardless of his successor’s orientation, Pope Francis’ impact on the Catholic Church will endure. His humility, compassion, and willingness to engage with modern challenges redefined the papacy for the 21st century. As the Church mourns his passing, Catholics worldwide will remember not just his policies and pronouncements but his authentic embodiment of Christ’s love for the marginalised, a legacy that transcends theological and political divisions.
Nco Dube a political economist, businessman, and social commentator.
Image: Supplied
Pope Francis was not a perfect leader. His handling of clerical sexual abuse scandals was often criticised as insufficient, and his reforms were sometimes more symbolic than structural. Yet his impact was undeniable. He made the papacy relatable, the Church more compassionate, and the Gospel message urgent in an age of inequality and climate crisis.
As the world mourns, the question lingers: was Francis an anomaly, or did he pave the way for a permanently changed Church? Only time will tell. But for now, millions, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, will remember a man who lived as he preached: with humility, courage, and an unshakeable belief in the dignity of the forgotten.
Ultimately, while Francis fought valiantly to modernise and humanise the Church, the weight of centuries-old structures and the intransigence of traditionalists meant that many of his most ambitious reforms remained incomplete. His papacy will be remembered as a courageous but often frustrated struggle to bring the Church closer to the ideals of justice, inclusivity, and compassion.
In the words of Cardinal Farrell’s announcement, Francis’ “entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church”. Few popes in modern history have served with such genuine humility and transformative vision.
Rest in peace, Pope Francis. The Church may never see your like again.
(Dube is a political economist, businessman, and social commentator on Ukhozi FM. His views don't necessarily reflect those of the Sunday Tribune or Independent Media)
