orge Mario Bergoglio, globally recognised as Pope Francis, was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Italian immigrant parents. Raised in a working-class neighbourhood, he was imbued with values of modesty, community and resilience qualities that would later shape his pastoral and theological disposition. Before entering the seminary, Bergoglio undertook a variety of odd jobs, including working as a chemical technician, janitor and nightclub bouncer. These early experiences uncommon among clerical leaders exposed him to the hardships of ordinary life and instilled in him a grounded perspective that would later inform his social teachings and pastoral outreach. A serious respiratory illness in his youth resulted in the removal of a part of one lung. The life-altering episode deepened his spiritual convictions. He now began his pursuit of formal religious education, joining the Society of Jesus in 1958. The decision was to set him on a trajectory towards global religious leadership.

Bergoglio’s early ecclesiastical formation was marked by a rigorous intellectual and spiritual regimen characteristic of the Jesuit order. He studied humanities in Chile and philosophy at San Miguel in Argentina. Later, he completed theological studies at the Colegio Máximo de San José. Ordained a priest in 1969, he began teaching theology and quickly rose through the ranks of the Jesuit order, becoming provincial superior of the Argentine Jesuits from 1973 to 1979. His tenure coincided with the politically turbulent period of Argentina’s Dirty War during which thousands of citizens were ‘disappeared.’ Although some people have accused him of insufficient resistance, others have defended his discreet efforts to save lives. His leadership demonstrated a cautious yet compassionate approach.

In 1992, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. He became archbishop five years later. Unlike many senior ecclesiastics, Bergoglio eschewed ostentation. He chose to live in a small apartment rather than the archbishop’s palace; cooked his meals; and commuted through public transport. His lifestyle choices, rooted in humility and solidarity with the poor, made him a distinctive figure in the Argentine episcopacy. In 2001, Pope John Paul II elevated him to the College of Cardinals. As a cardinal, Bergoglio became known for his theological conservatism on moral issues as well as his robust critique of economic inequality and his advocacy for social justice. These dual commitments rooted in the Jesuit tradition reflected a synthesis of doctrinal fidelity and pastoral sensitivity.

His election to the papacy on March 13, 2013, following the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, marked a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church. Bergoglio became the first pope from Latin America; the first from the southern hemisphere; and the first Jesuit pope in history. His election represented a dramatic shift in the geography and symbolism of papal authority. Choosing the papal name Francis after Saint Francis of Assisi he signalled an explicit commitment to the ideals of humility, simplicity and peace. The symbolism was profound: a non-European, Latin American pontiff from a religious order long associated with intellectual rigor and missionary zeal would now lead one of the world’s oldest institutions. This appointment was widely interpreted as a deliberate turns toward the Global South and its spiritual and social priorities.

His election to the papacy on March 13, 2013, following the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, marked a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church. Bergoglio became the first pope from Latin America, the first from the southern hemisphere and the first Jesuit pope in history.

His tenure was defined by a renewed emphasis on inclusion, social justice and the moral obligations of the Church in the contemporary world. From the outset, he emphasised the importance of engaging with marginalised communities, including migrants, refugees, indigenous peoples and the economically disenfranchised. Equally significantly he had an ecological take on environmental degradation and its disproportionate impact on the poor. His arguments resonated well beyond Catholic audiences and were also praised by secular environmental activists and political leaders.

Pope Francis consistently denounced armed conflict and the global arms trade. His appeals for peace, especially in regions experiencing protracted violence, were frequent and impassioned. During the recent escalation of hostilities in Gaza, he made one of his most poignant appeals. In his Angelus address in December 2023, he said, “War is always a defeat. Let us pray for peace in Palestine and Israel. Enough! Enough with war, with the lives of innocent civilians lost in Gaza. Stop in the name of God!” These remarks, issued from St Peter’s Square, exemplified his commitment to non-violence and the sanctity of human life, underscoring his papacy’s moral leadership amid political paralysis.

Despite his progressive social agenda and vocal moral positions, the Pope encountered substantial difficulties in reforming the Catholic Church’s internal structures. His attempts to shift Church doctrine on issues such as homosexuality, gender roles and clerical celibacy were frequently constrained by entrenched ecclesiastical conservatism. In addition, institutional inertia and the resistance of the Roman Curia blunted many of his reformist ambitions.

His papacy was also challenged by the ongoing crisis of clerical sexual abuse. While he took steps to address this endemic problem establishing commissions, defrocking abusive clergy and meeting with survivors his efforts were perceived by many as insufficient. Structural reforms, such as creating independent oversight bodies, remained unrealised. He also struggled to reform the Vatican bureaucracy. Early in his papacy, he reorganised parts of the Roman Curia and attempted to impose greater financial transparency, but internal resistance and scandals, such as the resignation of key financial officers and the leak of confidential documents, hampered these initiatives. The persistent opacity of Vatican finances and administration reflected the resilience of longstanding institutional norms, which even a reform-minded Pope could not entirely dismantle.

Nonetheless, Pope Francis significantly altered the global perception of the Catholic Church. By prioritising dialogue over dogma, accompaniment over condemnation and justice over tradition, he reoriented the papacy towards the margins of the global order. His emphasis on fraternity, mercy and ecological responsibility offered a counter-narrative to the prevailing tides of nationalism, consumerism and climate change denial. As the world reflects on the legacy of Pope Francis, it is evident that his impact transcends ecclesiastical boundaries. He repositioned the papacy as a platform in an era of political fragmentation and humanitarian crisis. Although constrained by the institutional limitations of the Church, his commitment to social justice, interfaith dialogue and global solidarity has left an indelible mark on Catholic thought and practice. His successor will inherit not only a complex institution but also a prophetic vision of a Church that seeks not power, but presence among the poor and the marginalised. The long-term implications of his pontificate will be debated for decades, but one truth is evident: Pope Francis reshaped the moral vocabulary of global Catholicism and reminded the world that faith must speak most urgently to those lacking a voice and shelter.

The writer has a PhD in political science from Heidelberg University and post-doc experience at University of California, Berkeley. He is a DAAD, FDDI and Fulbright fellow and an associate professor at Lahore School of Economics. He can be reached at ejaz.bhatty@gmail.com