10 Things to Know About Pope Francis: A Legacy of Humility, Courage, and Compassion Asked once what gave him hope, he spoke not of theology or politics, but of people — heroic mothers, men with dreams, women who look toward the future. In a world of suffering, he still believed in the basic goodness of human beings

Pope Francis wasn't just the first pope from Latin America — he was also one of the most unexpected, deeply human, and reform-minded leaders the Catholic Church has seen in modern history. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he led with humility, lived simply, and listened closely — to the cries of the poor, the wounds of the abused, and the fears of a world in crisis. His papacy was marked by empathy, courage, and a constant push to make the Church a place of welcome, not walls.

Here's a look at ten deeply human things to know about this transformative figure who led the Church for 12 years.

1. He lived like the people he served

Pope Francis didn't just preach humility — he lived it. Unlike his predecessors, he refused to move into the lavish papal apartments and instead chose a small room in the Vatican guesthouse, Casa Santa Marta. He cooked his own meals and traveled by minibus. This wasn't symbolic minimalism; it was who he was. From his early days as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he was known as the "slum bishop," taking public transport and walking among the poor.

His first act as pope — quietly asking the crowd in St. Peter's Square to pray for him before he blessed them — set the tone for a papacy rooted in connection over hierarchy.

2. He was the first Pope from the global south — and it mattered

Born in 1936 in Buenos Aires to Italian immigrant parents, Francis grew up in a working-class family. His father was an accountant, and his mother a homemaker. He worked as a bouncer and janitor before studying chemistry. These early experiences — shaped by displacement, economic hardship, and a deep immigrant identity — informed his empathy for the poor and migrants.

His first papal visit was to Lampedusa, a small Italian island where thousands of refugees from Africa were arriving in overcrowded, dangerous boats. Instead of political platitudes, Francis spoke of "the globalisation of indifference" — a call to the world to stop looking away from human suffering.

3. He took on the climate crisis with a moral voice

No other pope had ever so boldly addressed environmental destruction as Pope Francis did. In 2015, he released the landmark encyclical Laudato Si, calling climate change one of the most urgent moral issues of our time. He emphasised that the destruction of nature disproportionately harms the world's poor — linking ecological and social injustice.

He appealed not just to Catholics, but to people of all faiths — and even those without religion — urging everyone to treat the Earth as our shared home. As someone who had studied science and worked in a lab, he argued that faith and science are not enemies. Rather, they are both paths toward truth.

4. He faced the church's darkest scandal — and apologised

One of Francis' most defining moments was his reckoning with the sexual abuse crisis in the Church. In 2018, during a trip to Chile, survivors of clergy abuse confronted him for supporting a bishop accused of covering up abuse. Initially, Francis defended the bishop — a move that sparked global outrage.

But what followed was unprecedented. He admitted he had made a grave mistake, sent investigators to Chile, received over 2,600 pages of testimony, and dismissed nearly every bishop in the country involved in the cover-up. More than institutional action, it was his personal apology to survivors — particularly Juan Carlos Cruz — that left a deep impact. Francis met him at the Vatican, saw childhood photos of him as a victim, and asked for forgiveness, not just from the Church, but from himself.

5. He blessed same-sex couples

The Pope made headlines worldwide when he declared that if someone is gay and is seeking God with good will, "who am I to judge?" Later, he allowed priests to bless same-sex couples — though not their unions — stressing that every person deserves love and dignity.

He emphasised that blessings are for people, not institutions, and that to deny someone a blessing based on their sexual orientation is to deny their humanity. This step, while measured, was radical within the traditional framework of the Church — and drew both praise and criticism. But for Francis, the focus was always clear: inclusion over exclusion, compassion over condemnation.

6. He elevated women — even as he held on to tradition

While Pope Francis maintained the Church's stance on not ordaining women as priests or deacons, he made historic moves by appointing women to positions of real power. Sister Nathalie Becquart, for example, became the first woman with voting rights in the Synod of Bishops.

He cracked doors open and said that once they're slightly ajar, the rest could follow. His appointment of women drew attention from beyond religious circles — business and political leaders saw it as a sign that even the most tradition-bound institutions could evolve.

7. He encouraged inclusion of LGBTQ persons

The Pope championed a Church that wasn't top-down but walked with its people. His Synod on Synodality was arguably the largest listening campaign in the Church's history. Catholics — young and old, devout and distant — were invited to share their experiences and ideas.

Among the many voices heard were calls for deeper inclusion of LGBTQ persons, greater transparency, and more localised leadership. This process wasn't about immediate change, but about fostering a culture where the Church listens first before it speaks.

8. He wasn't afraid to challenge political power

From the war in Ukraine to the famine in Gaza, Pope Francis consistently urged for peace and negotiation. In one of his final interviews, he spoke of children from war zones who had forgotten how to smile. He asked leaders to stop being "Pontius Pilates" — turning away from injustice with washed hands — and instead, to soften their hearts.

When asked about conservative critics in the U.S. who opposed his reforms, he responded not with defensiveness but clarity. He said being "conservative" should not mean being closed off to the world. Clinging to the past without seeing new realities, he said, is a "suicidal attitude."

9. He believed the church belongs to everyone

Pope Francis constantly emphasised that the Church was not a gated community for the perfect. "Everyone," he said — rich or poor, devout or doubting, straight or gay, clean or broken — has a place. The Gospel, he believed, is for all, and if the Church places customs officers at the door, it loses its identity as the Church of Christ.

This inclusive stance angered traditionalists but ignited hope in many who had felt abandoned by the institution. He didn't change all Church teachings, but he changed the tone — and that mattered.

10. He knew the power of hope

Despite the health battles he fought, Pope Francis remained hopeful. In his final Easter message on the 20th of April, he smiled and waved to the crowd from a wheelchair and said, "There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others. Nor is peace possible without true disarmament. The requirement that every person provide for their defence must not turn into a race to rearmament."

Just a day later, he passed away quietly in his residence at the age of 88.

Asked once what gave him hope, he spoke not of theology or politics, but of people — heroic mothers, men with dreams, women who look toward the future. In a world of suffering, he still believed in the basic goodness of human beings.

Pope Francis didn't change everything — but he changed a lot. More importantly, he made people feel seen. He didn't shout from above but walked among the people. He faced painful truths, made space for others, and never let the Church forget its most important mission: to love.