Every rigorous government and leadership action of an organization or country is marked by perceived priorities and by the actions or deeds carried out. At the same time, many responsibilities are assumed that are specific to the place and are routinely managed without being noteworthy. With only the perspective that comes from being a member of the Church and without any desire to be exhaustive, we modestly attempt to point out the priorities and non-priorities of the lovingly self-styled Bishop of Rome.
Francis, without much explanation, adopted a humble and austere attitude. His chosen name and his residence in Santa Marta, rather than in the papal chambers, have been a testament to his simplicity. Presenting himself as someone who comes "from the ends of the earth" is a discreet critique of the centrality of the West, like traveling to countries where Christianity is a minority. And from these places, he has appointed cardinals, always encouraging open-mindedness in the new top ecclesiastical leaders in times of global conservatism.
Francis was clear about the plurality of the Catholic world, as seen in his intentions with the synod: to recognize diversity and bring the Gospel proposal closer to every culture, every reality, allowing the People of God to intervene and express themselves freely. He has dealt with issues related to minority groups with care and respect. Seeking to avoid a schism, clearly understanding those before him, he has encouraged the opening of debates on issues such as the role of women, whom he has entrusted with government responsibilities that were previously unthinkable and whom he has invited to participate in spaces for dialogue that were previously forbidden. The very event of the synod opened the Church to participatory practices, overcoming a medieval hierarchical structure. He has urged a change in ways of doing things through dialogue and discussions, such as the 2014 Christmas greeting from the Vatican, entitled The fifteen most common diseases of the curiaAnd in the case of the Latin American synod, he favored discussing the option of ordaining married men to facilitate the sacraments in the Amazon region.
Francis engaged with evangelical messages on the great problems facing humanity. He emphasized the defense of the environment.Laudato si, on the care of our common home–; the equality of persons and peoples –Brothers and sisters, on fraternity and social friendship; his sensitivity toward emigrants, with his trips to Lampedusa, and his denunciation of the neoliberal economic model, which leaves so many people behind, with a commission of experts working on what was called "The Economy of Francis."
We must also bear in mind significant facts and words, such as his radical attitude toward pedophilia, the appointment of bishops from religious congregations, and the suppression of the personal prelature of Opus Dei, redefining it as a religious or secular institute. We would highlight his discretion regarding morality within couples, and especially regarding sexuality. Like the Gospel, Francis has focused on love and respect for all people. He has reached very different strata of society, circles not explicitly identified with Christianity but striving for social transformation, who have read him and embraced his message. In his papal bull announcing the 2025 Jubilee, "Hope Does Not Disappoint," he encourages the entire Church to allow itself to be guided by the hope that springs from the Spirit and to be signs of hope and contagion of the Gospel more through experience and through a way of doing things than through rhetoric or rhetoric.
We will surely be able to enjoy more authoritative and comprehensive analyses that take into account the historical perspective of Buenos Aires, with the Society of Jesus, and the spirituality that made these fruits possible. In any case, that Cardinal Bergoglio, unknown to most, who emerged from the 2013 conclave, has sown seeds that, if nurtured, will bring the Church closer to the Gospel.
