A World Pope: Francis's Ministry Crossed Borders and Boundaries

Pope Francis, the first pope from Latin America, died Monday, leaving behind a legacy that wove together humility, global solidarity and an unwavering focus on the poor. His life and papacy were deeply marked by the faith and struggles of his native Argentina and the wider Latin American experience.

Pope Francis: Dec 17, 1936 - Apr 21, 2025, Photo: VATICAN MEDIA Divisione

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires in 1936, Francis grew up in a working-class family of Italian immigrants. His early years were shaped by the vibrancy of Latin American Catholicism and the realities of economic inequality, dictatorship and social upheaval. These influences became foundational to his vision of a Church “for the poor and of the poor.”

His election in 2013 was historic: he was the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to take the name Francis, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. With that name came a commitment to simplicity and solidarity that would define his decade-long pontificate.

Francis brought with him a distinctly Latin American theology, rooted in the experiences of slum dwellers, laborers, migrants and Indigenous communities. He often invoked the “preferential option for the poor,” a principle central to Latin American liberation theology — a movement he did not fully embrace as a young Jesuit, but whose emphasis on social justice and accompaniment of the marginalized clearly influenced his later ministry.

As pope, Francis frequently turned the world’s gaze to the peripheries — from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro to the conflict-ridden zones of Africa. His travels included visits to the Central African Republic, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he called for peace, an end to exploitation and a Church that walks with its people.

Francis also became a global voice against racism, particularly in response to events like the killing of George Floyd in 2020. “We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form,” he said, echoing the cries for justice heard across the Global South.

Yet it was often Latin America where his words and actions struck deepest. He returned to the region several times as pope, notably during World Youth Day in Brazil and visits to Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Chile and Peru. In these countries, he spoke of healing colonial wounds, respecting Indigenous wisdom, and defending both the earth and the dignity of its people.

His encyclical Laudato Si’ — a passionate call for environmental stewardship — reflected the concerns of Latin Americans whose lands and livelihoods are often ravaged by extractive industries. His pastoral letter Querida Amazonia envisioned a Church rooted in Indigenous realities, one that listens before it speaks.

Despite resistance from some traditional quarters of the Church, Francis pushed forward with reforms aimed at making Catholicism more inclusive and merciful. He called for compassion toward divorced Catholics, LGBTQ people and migrants, while insisting the Church must be a “field hospital” in a wounded world.

In the hierarchy, Francis elevated voices from the Global South, including numerous African and Latin American cardinals. He sought to decentralize Vatican power and empower local churches — a vision shaped by his decades as archbishop of Buenos Aires, where he was known simply as "Padre Jorge."

Even as age and illness took their toll, Francis remained a tireless advocate for the voiceless. He warned against what he called “the globalization of indifference” and continually urged world leaders to choose humanity over profit.

Pope Francis's life was an embodiment of the Latin American spirit — resilient, communal, and grounded in hope. He leaves behind a Church more attuned to the cries of the earth and its people, and a world still challenged by his call to “go out to the margins” and build a more just and loving future.