In February 2019, His Holiness Pope Francis attended a Mass of over 150,000 people at the Zayed Sports City in the United Arab Emirates. It was the largest Christian gathering ever on the Arabian Peninsula—and why wouldn’t it be? It was the first time in history a pope set foot on Arabian sands. The papacy is 2,000 years old, so if you can ignore the debates on where Saint Peter established it and what happened during the smudged parts of history, Pope Francis broke thousand-year-old traditions. In fact, that is not the only time he did so. However, I’m not here to write a hagiography. I’m here to write about the things he did differently—things that broke up some of the Vatican’s power and brought it where it belonged: with the people.
The Outsider#
In the days before a new pope is elected, humans being humans, they flock to betting markets—and the markets offered 33-to-1 odds against Pope Francis. Even Francis agreed with those odds before the conclave; he only brought a suitcase, expecting a short stay.
He did not have the typical background of a pope. He was from Argentina—and there had not been a non-European pope in 1,200 years. He was a Jesuit (a Catholic order that emphasizes education, missionary work, and social justice), and there had never been a Jesuit pope. Moreover, Francis had a record of unconventionality, which contradicted the previous pope’s vibe, who focused strongly on traditionalism and theological correctness.
Although Francis was an unexpected choice for the general public, the Vatican knew what it was doing. Toward the end of Pope Benedict’s era, the church was losing attendance and relevance. Cases of sexual abuse and financial corruption had rocked the Vatican to its core. Francis was supposed to be a change in direction—a wartime CEO—and he was.
Wartime CEO#
The church Pope Francis inherited was badly damaged. Decades of child abuse cases had greatly harmed its reputation and attendance. Conversations about the church often centered on what it opposed—abortion, contraception, women clergy—rather than what it stood for. Many parishes were short on priests, and the inefficiency and sloth within the Vatican were the source of running jokes.
Francis addressed these issues, to some extent, by boosting transparency and inverting the power pyramid. In 2019, he abolished the “pontifical secret,” freeing the reports and results of internal investigations. This allowed the church to cooperate freely with the police and the courts. He also empowered external audits and corruption investigations.
As for distributing power, Francis delegated decision-making authority to local priests, making the system more bottom-up instead of priests simply receiving instructions from the top. He distributed questionnaires throughout the Catholic world before the 2015 Synod to consult the laity (another first in history, according to experts). One notable initiative was allowing local bishops and priests to make their own judgments on how to treat divorced and remarried Catholics—including allowing them to receive communion, which the church had always forbidden previously.
Alongside cleaning house, he also increased the church’s relevance and improved its image.
Pope of the People#
“Who am I to judge?” — this was Pope Francis’ reply to journalists while discussing the church’s position on homosexuality. Where Pope Benedict, and most of those who came before him, sought to protect the church’s core, Francis wanted to open its doors wider than ever. He frequently reached out and met with leaders and people of the LGBTQ+ community. He took steps to open interfaith dialogue and was a strong advocate for protecting immigrants.
Francis was also vocal about Israel’s actions in Palestine. Under his papacy, the Vatican was one of the first to recognize the State of Palestine. He met with President Mahmoud Abbas and called him an “angel of peace.” Although he never called it a genocide and always used the word “conflict,” he used his last address to call for peace and a ceasefire in Gaza.
He even made sure to lead a simple life in every way. After his appointment, he received his cardinals standing on the same level instead of rising up and sitting on the papal throne. On his first night, he took the minibus to supper, rejecting the papal limousine, and slept in a guest-house apartment, rejecting the penthouse palace.
Just a Symbol?#
Although Pope Francis has broken many barriers and improved the church’s reputation, he has drawn criticism from both conservatives and liberals. Conservatives have, predictably, criticized him for breaking tradition and being flexible. Liberals have criticized him for his stance against abortion and women clergy. Analyzing his initiatives and time in office, he can rightly be accused of not doing enough. If we go a bit further, we could even say Francis was the Vatican’s attempt at modern-washing the papacy (an effort probably continued through Pope Leo: the first American pope).
But Francis was definitely an improvement. In today’s society, debates and “fights” about political and theological correctness draw out more energy and engagement than efforts of actual service—even in Bangladesh. Pope Francis is a reminder of what is actually important, and he is a case study in walking the tightrope between handling institutional power while bringing about change.
Then again, who am I to judge?