It is hard to think about what Pope Francis’ legacy will be when I don’t want to admit he’s gone. He was exactly what the Catholic Church needed — a progressive, accepting and loving head of the Church who prioritized a life of poverty. When it comes down to it, though, I think that Pope Francis’ legacy will remain as his embodiment of the four Jesuit vows he took of poverty, chastity, obedience and special obedience regarding worldwide mission.
Even before I entered the Catholic Church this past Easter Vigil, Pope Francis connected with me on a profound and personal level. A 2013 conclave of Cardinals elected then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio S.J. on my birthday, March 13. Following the centuries-old tradition of picking a new papal name, he chose Saint Francis of Assisi.
“For me, he is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation,” Pope Francis said. This choice reflected Pope Francis’ commitment to humility throughout his papacy, as St. Francis consistently chose poverty as a spiritual practice, freeing himself from earthly attachments. St. Francis renounced his family’s life of wealth and privilege out of his desire to imitate Christ, who modeled a life of poverty on Earth.
Like St. Francis, I longed for a church that prioritized serving those experiencing economic and social hardships — something I often found missing in Methodism. While the individual Church I grew up in certainly committed itself to serving those in need, the Methodist Church as a whole lacked a central figure of authority ensuring the consistency of practices. I found that leadership in Pope Francis as he served as a guiding force for Roman Catholic Churches worldwide.
Despite his popularity and ability to live a more extravagant life, Pope Francis chose to do the opposite. Most notably, he lived in the simple Vatican guest house, Casa Santa Marta, over the lavish Apostolic Palace, breaking the long-held tradition of his predecessors.
The life of poverty Pope Francis lived especially stuck out to me when I visited Vatican City in October as part of the “Synod on Synodality” theology class. My classmates and I had the privilege of attending one of Pope Francis’ papal audiences, where before speaking to the crowd he rode around in his “Popemobile” greeting children with gifts of small religious figures and candy. In those moments, he showed a beautiful sense of humility, interacting with those around him as equals instead of showing any signs of superiority.
Pope Francis’ vow of chastity also sets an extraordinary example for our modern society to follow. “In a world often marked by distorted forms of affectivity, in which the principle of pleasure … drives people to seek in others the satisfaction of their own needs rather than the joy born of a fruitful encounter,” Pope Francis said. With this, Pope Francis highlights the importance of meaningful and fulfilling relationships, which is essential now more than ever in our 21stcentury culture of hyper-sexualization.
Extending far beyond the walls of Rome, Pope Francis’ outreach work earned him widespread recognition as the “people’s pope.” Breaking papacy norms of electing Europeans, Pope Francis became the first Latin American and the first Jesuit pope. As a queer Catholic myself, Pope Francis made incredible advances in the Church for us. Only four months after being elected into the papacy, Pope Francis famously raised the question “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” The sentiment from Pope Francis that it is not his place to judge queer individuals shows us love and compassion over hatred and judgment, as the Pope sets a precedent for the rest of the Church to follow
A consistent supporter of LGBTQ+ individuals throughout his papacy, in 2023, Pope Francis reiterated to priests the importance of giving all who seek one a blessing, including queer individuals. He said, “The blessing is for everyone … to bless each person, why not? The blessing is for all. Some people were scandalized by this. But why? Everyone!”
The pope extended his sentiment of loving LGBTQ+ individuals and respecting their human dignity to everyone, regardless of their background. The obedience exemplified in religious communities, Pope Francis said, serves as “a prophetic sign for our society” based on listening to each others’ perspectives, “even at the cost of setting aside our own tastes, plans and preferences.”
Above all, I think that promoting dialogue and true listening to each other is Pope Francis’ legacy. The Synod on Synodality, under his guidance, brought over 360 delegates from all dioceses of the world together to discern the future of our beloved Church. While synods have occurred throughout church history, the Synod on Synodality, which took place from October 2023 to October 2024, showcased women’s perspectives, with over 50 participating as voting delegates.
“Precisely at this time, when there is much talk and little listening, and when the sense of the common good is in danger of weakening, the Church as a whole has embarked on a journey to rediscover the word together,” Pope Francis said. “Walk together. Question together. Take responsibility together for community discernment, which for us is prayer, as the first Apostles did: This is synodality, which we would like to make a daily habit in all its expressions,” he said.
Thank you, Holy Father, for your unwavering commitment to dialogue. Thank you for pushing for justice for all of God’s children. Thank you for bringing me to the Church. We will miss you, but we will carry your legacy on.
Hailey Baker, FCRH ’27, is a political science major from Gaithersburg, Md.
