Pope Francis, a shepherd who walked with his flock (1936-2025)

He led not from above, but beside — with worn shoes, an open heart, and a Gospel of compassion.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the first pontiff from the Americas and the first Jesuit to be elected to the papacy, passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7:35 a.m. in his residence at Casa Santa Marta.

His death marks the end of a transformative era in the Catholic Church — one defined not by doctrinal upheaval, but by a renewed pastoral vision rooted in mercy, humility, and closeness to the most vulnerable.

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From the moment of his election on March 13, 2013, Francis chose a different path. He declined traditional papal trappings, asked the faithful for their blessing before offering his own, and selected a name no pope had ever taken — Francis, after the saint of poverty and peace.

“My people are poor and I am one of them,” he once said. It was not a metaphor — it was the axis of his life.

A voice from the ends of the earth

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the eldest son of Piedmontese immigrants. His father, Mario, worked as a railway accountant, while his mother, Regina Sivori, cared for their five children.

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After studying as a chemical technician, he taught literature and psychology in Jesuit colleges before completing theological studies. Bergoglio entered the diocesan seminary and joined the Society of Jesus on March 11, 1958 — beginning a lifetime of service marked by simplicity, intellectual depth, and an unwavering commitment to the poor.

Ordained a priest on December 13,1969, his final Jesuit vows came in 1973. He rose quickly in Argentina’s Jesuit community, becoming provincial superior at the age of 36.

Amid the political turmoil of Argentina’s Dirty War, Bergoglio distinguished himself not by public protest, but by quiet, courageous accompaniment — sheltering the persecuted, visiting prisoners, and offering confession and guidance to the afflicted.

Returning to academic and pastoral work in the 1980s, Bergoglio served as rector, professor, parish priest, and spiritual director before being named auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992 by Pope John Paul II. Episcopal consecration followed on June 27, 1992, under the guidance of Cardinal Antonio Quarracino. Bergoglio’s episcopal motto — Miserando atque eligendo (“By having mercy and by choosing him”) — captured the core of his ministry.

A Bishop in worn shoes

Appointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992 by Pope John Paul II, and later its archbishop in 1998, Bergoglio rejected the episcopal palace, opting for a small apartment and public transport. He became known for his simple lifestyle and closeness to the poor — visiting slums, and promoting a Church “of the poor and for the poor.”

His vision of pastoral ministry centered on four priorities: building open and fraternal community empowering the laity, evangelizing every inhabitant of the city, and serving the poor and sick.

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In 2009, ahead of Argentina’s bicentennial, he launched a campaign to complete 200 charitable works — not as symbolic acts, but as permanent structures of mercy.

Though reluctant to seek leadership, he was elected president of the Argentine Bishops’ Conference in 2005 and again in 2008, and participated in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI.

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The Francis effect

After Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation in 2013, Bergoglio was elected Supreme Pontiff. His first words — “Pray for me” — and his choice of the name Francis signaled a shift.

He emphasized simplicity, dialogue, and encounter. He spoke plainly of the Church as “a field hospital after battle” and repeatedly condemned what he called “spiritual worldliness” — placing oneself, not Christ, at the center.

Under his leadership, the Church focused on mercy, care for creation, fraternity, and outreach to the margins. He declared an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2015, made historic visits to refugee camps and conflict zones, and published four Encyclical Letters – the latest, Dilexit nos, on the human and divine love of the Heart of Jesus Christ –, seven Apostolic Exhortations, and more than thirty Apostolic Constitutions.

He presided over 10 consistories, appointing cardinals from all continents, many from countries historically overlooked. He elevated voices from the peripheries — South Sudan, Myanmar, East Timor, and beyond — reshaping the College of Cardinals to reflect a truly global Church.

Final journey

Even in fragile health, Pope Francis continued his mission. In 2024, at 87, he visited Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Singapore, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Corsica — his 47th Apostolic Journey.

On February 14, 2025, he was admitted to Rome’s Policlinico A. Gemelli for bilateral pneumonia. After 37 days of treatment, he was discharged on March 23. Before returning home, he stopped at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, placing flowers before the icon of Salus Populi Romani — a personal devotion.

He resumed limited public activity, including a visit to Regina Coeli Prison on Holy Thursday and a personal appearance at the Jubilee of the Sick. On Easter Sunday, April 20, he delivered the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing and made one final ride in the popemobile through Saint Peter’s Square.

It was his last public act.

A legacy of closeness

Pope Francis leaves behind not only a body of encyclicals and reforms, but a Church reoriented toward accompaniment. He redefined authority through empathy, choosing to listen before judging, to walk with rather than speak at.

He once said, “A shepherd should smell like his sheep.” He lived this to the end — leading not from above, but beside.

With worn shoes, an open heart, and a Gospel of compassion.