**VATICAN CITY – Insights on Pope Francis’ life, who passed away on Monday:**
**Background**
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was the eldest child in a family of Italian immigrants’ five children. He became a Jesuit priest in 1969 and faced the challenges of leading the religious order in Argentina during the haunting dictatorship from 1976 to 1983. He assumed the role of archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was elevated to cardinal in 2001 by St. John Paul II. His rise to the papacy occurred on March 13, 2013, when he became the 266th pope during the fifth voting round.
**Pioneer of Firsts**
Francis earned a place in history as the first pope from the Americas and the first from the Jesuit order. He chose the name Francis, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, marking another first. He also made history by being the first pope to visit Iraq and meet with its leading Shiite Muslim cleric in 2021.
**Embracing Humility and Simplicity**
As an archbishop in Buenos Aires, Francis was known for shunning the luxuries of his predecessors, choosing instead to travel by bus and cook his own meals, often visiting the city’s impoverished neighborhoods. This simplicity was evident during his papacy when he took the name of the 13th-century saint known for modest living. Choosing to reside in a Vatican hotel instead of the opulent Apostolic Palace, Francis wore his old orthopedic shoes instead of the traditional red papal loafers, showcasing austerity to the clergy by opting for compact cars.
**Championing Migrants**
A chief priority during Francis’ papacy was advocating for migrants. His first journey outside Rome in 2013 led him to Lampedusa, a Sicilian island, where he met newly arrived migrants and condemned the “globalization of indifference” towards refugees. In a powerful act of compassion, he prayed for migrants who perished at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2016, and personally brought 12 Syrian Muslims on his plane to Rome after visiting a refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece. His calls for open arms clashed with various U.S. and European policies, notably critiquing Donald Trump’s proposed anti-migrant wall in 2016.
**Inclusive Approach to LGBTQ+ Issues**
Early into his leadership, Francis signaled openness towards LGBTQ+ individuals, responding “Who am I to judge?” when discussing a gay priest. In a 2023 interview, he expressed that “Being homosexual is not a crime,” and endorsed blessings for same-sex couples, underlining that these should differ from marriage rites.
**Environmental Advocacy**
Francis became the pioneering pope to reference scientific research in a crucial teaching document, placing the stewardship of the environment at the forefront of his religious mission. His 2015 environmental document, “Praised Be,” urged a transformation in cultural values to address what he termed the “structurally perverse” global economy that exploits the indigent and pollutes Earth. While preceding popes had also called for better environmental stewardship, Francis took this advocacy a step further.
**Response to Clergy Sexual Abuse Scandals**
One of the most significant challenges of his papacy arose in 2018 when he initially dismissed the claims of Chilean victims of clergy sexual abuse by defending a bishop accused of aiding their abusers. Upon realizing his mistake, Francis invited the victims to the Vatican for personal apologies and encouraged the entire Chilean bishops conference to resign. He convened a 2019 summit on abuse and delivered a strong message by defrocking former U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick after investigations revealed abuse of minors and adults. Pivotal legal changes under his leadership included abolishing pontifical secrecy on such matters and setting up procedures to scrutinize bishops covering up abuse. Nonetheless, some high-profile cases continued to question his decisions, notably when siding with the accused clergy.
**Facing Criticism**
In Francis’ early papacy years, critics saw the living presence of Pope Benedict XVI, who had resigned and resided in the Vatican, as an alternative, emboldening opposition to Francis’ reformative direction. His 2016 stance of allowing divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Communion fueled accusations of heresy. In 2018, the Vatican’s retired U.S. ambassador, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, accused the Vatican and U.S. officials of a prolonged cover-up concerning McCarrick’s misconduct and called for Francis’s resignation. Following Vigano’s fortifying reproach and gathering of support, the Vatican excommunicated him in 2024, citing schism.