Pope Francis brought much-needed change to Roman Catholicism, despite not having overhauled the church's doctrine [View all]

Pope Francis will be remembered for a pastoral papacy, from his first appearance on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica,in a simple white cassock, to funeral instructions that his coffin not be elevated. He was the first pope from the global south, the first Jesuit to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, and the first to pick the name Francis.

He also named 108 of the 135 cardinals who will pick his successor.

“What a breath of fresh air he was to our Church, coming at a moment when we needed him so badly,” Father Michael G. Ryan, pastor of St. James Cathedral, wrote in a letter to parishoners. He and Francis embraced at the Vatican in 2016, and both embraced the concept of an inclusive, tolerant church.

Roman Catholicism has reached a fork in the road in its 2,000 year history.

https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2025/04/pope-francis-brought-much-needed-change-to-roman-catholicism-despite-not-having-overhauled-the-churchs-doctrine.html