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The Catholic Church has often been held back by those who refuse to move with the times. During a time of political polarization, uniting Catholics has been Pope Francis’ biggest challenge.

In the face of this, Francis has presented the Catholic Church as an organization that welcomes historically-excluded groups of people and ideas. Instead of appealing to everyone, Pope Francis has instead made it a point to embrace the Church as a driver for change and move away from traditional viewpoints of strict adherence to convention.

In a world increasingly removed from organized religion, Pope Francis’ leadership of the Catholic Church demonstrates a step in the right direction. His comparatively progressive stances are what the Church needs in the 21st century. His welcoming views on the LGBTQ+ community, acknowledgment of climate change and upliftment of women are a positive deviation from past popes.

Though the relevance of the papacy is declining in the modern era, Pope Francis has shaped for himself a legacy that is inspiring to both Catholics and non-Catholics.

As a practicing Catholic, it is often difficult to reconcile my personal beliefs with those of the Church and to find the middle ground in a faith that is customarily rigid and unmoving. However, since the election of Pope Francis in 2013, I have noticed a gradual shift from the static nature of the Church to one that is more mindful of the changing world. After all these centuries, it feels like Pope Francis is a pioneer for transformation in the Catholic Church.

As many Catholics find themselves moving away from the faith, Francis’ presence has been grounding. During his papacy, I have seen more young people drawn back to Catholicism. Before his term, Catholicism felt disconnected from its following, but the pope has worked to preserve the personal aspect of the Church by valuing different perspectives and moving with the times – something I haven’t seen many religious leaders do.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francis is the first pope from Latin America and has challenged Vatican precedents since his debut. Controversially, just a few months after his election, when asked about his position on gay priests, he famously stated, “Who am I to judge?” Though his answer didn’t wholly clarify his stance on the LGBTQ+ community, it took Catholics by storm and alerted many that he was unlike previous popes. Francis proved that he is supportive of all peoples and is working to progress the Church in alignment with society.

Even though the Church has not changed its formal doctrine, this is a monumental first step. For members of the LGBTQ+ community who have been fully excommunicated from the Church, the pope’s inclusionary attitude allows them to reenter the Church without fear of judgment.

Since then, Pope Francis has taken several opportunities to be the first to emphasize that gay people are welcome in the Church.

Most recently, in December, the pope “formally permitted Roman Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples.” While the doctrine of the Church still does not recognize same-sex marriages, this was a historic development. It signaled a path toward acceptance for the Catholic LGBTQ+ community, who are often excluded from being active members of the Church.

His stances on controversial issues like these have put the pontificate at odds with some Catholics, particularly conservative Americans. His approval rating dropped 15 points among United States Catholic Republicans since 2015, indicating a lack of connection and incompatibility between the two.

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Pope Francis also emphasizes the role of women in the Church, as they have repeatedly been devalued and underpinned as less than by male leadership in the Church. Francis drifts from this idea and calls us to recognize that the “Church is herself a woman: a daughter, a bride, and a mother.” Instead of women as an afterthought or separate from the Church, Francis establishes them as integral to the Church’s founding and to Christ himself.

Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis has inspired and encouraged more women to take up governance positions in the Vatican and he hopes to do the same with smaller churches worldwide. In his vision for the future, he calls for the Church to allow women to become deacons and serve the people in higher positions. Though his intentions have been met with some backlash from traditionalists in the Church, attitudes are slowly changing.

As the face of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has also expressed deep concern over the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, equating Israel’s assaults on Palestinians following the Oct. 7 attack to terrorism. He also called for the release of the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas and has denounced the rise in antisemitism.

During the 2023 Vatican Christmas Mass, Francis used his platform to condemn the acts of the Israeli government, pleading to stop its “appalling harvest of innocent civilian victims.” Overall, this demonstrates Francis’ dedication to humanity and human rights.

On topics like climate change, Pope Francis has sided with the position of science and research, an action that many conservative Catholics would disagree with. He implores world leaders and the general public to do their part and presses for legislation to reduce our climate impact, admitting that it is a “human and social problem.” This push is significant as recent research shows that only 44% of Catholics believe that climate change is primarily due to human activity.

All this being said, Pope Francis still maintains his conservative position in alignment with the Catholic Church on issues like abortion, showing a need for further movement in the Catholic Church. Generally, he has demonstrated himself as a pope for the people.

As a sometimes apprehensive Catholic myself, it’s refreshing to see that the Church is moving forward, not backward or staying stagnant. Pope Francis’ leadership has made Catholicism feel less intimidating to both practicing Catholics and those interested in the Church, but his adversaries are pushing the Church further in the wrong direction.

Catholicism was meant to be an inclusive faith. If we don’t follow its most crucial tenets of unconditional love and forgiveness, our convictions are simply nominal and rooted in an identity rather than the belief itself.

Christy Joshy is a freshman International Relations and Accounting major. She can be reached at cjoshy@syr.edu.

Published on April 14, 2024 at 11:13 pm