The death of Pope Francis will be met with anguish and dismay by Catholics who saw his papacy as the first significant beacon of hope for reform in the Church since the Second Vatican Council ended in 1965. As well as grieving a man whose personal warmth, humour, and avuncular style charmed so many, they will be riven by an anxiety that, as followed the death of Pope John XXIII in 1963, any impetus for change Francis set in train may die with him.
Pope Francis had appeared in public on a number of occasions since his recent release from a long hospital stay– including over the Easter weekend. The many Catholics who supported his teaching can find comfort in knowing that the College of Cardinals which will elect a new Pope – without an Irish vote as Cardinal Sean Brady is over 80 – has a significant majority appointed by Pope Francis himself. They will hope his successor will continue what Francis began with his synodal pathway – which involved the laity in discussing and debating the future of the church.
It is no great surprise that Francis did not bring about any great change in Church practices or introduce significant new interpretation of its teachings. He was of his time. What he did do was usher in a new mood whereby the church became a warmer place, even if many felt he should have gone further.
It was where humanity in all its diversity began to feel welcome. This included its demeaned majority – women– as well as gay people, those in second relationships, single parents and their children. It was where survivors of clerical child sex abuse were personally welcomed by him, even if his efforts at real reform in that area were frequently stymied by a circumspect Curia.
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Under the previous two popes, the Church was more bound by narrow dogma, to the discomfort of many of its members. Francis brought change even if in some respects, such as its treatment of women, many will wish he went much further.
Under Francis, the Church was more noted for compassion than judgement, framed by his 2013 remark “Who am I to judge?,” when asked about gay people. To his great credit, he spoke out repeatedly and strongly for the underprivileged – migrants, those suffering in wars and the poor.
The chief legacy of Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Buenos Aires – this man “from the ends of the earth” as he described himself on election in March 2013 – will be his setting in train the ongoing synodal pathway ,which seems destined to usher in significant reform in the Church.
All else was style. But that too was significant, as his humble demeanour helped him to identify with the people and cleared the way for a Church which is more comfortable with its laity in all their great variety– and is prepared to listen to them. In choosing his successor, the cardinals should decide to continue on this road.
