Pope Francis’s legacy of peace and dialogue in the Middle East

Pope Francis’s legacy of peace and dialogue in the Middle East

Pope Francis, the first head of the Catholic Church from the Global South, died on Monday morning at the age of 88. His death was announced by Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell, ending a papacy that spanned 12 years and saw the pontiff become a global advocate for peace, interfaith dialogue, and the rights of the poor and displaced. Having led the church since 2013, Pope Francis made a number of tours to the Middle East and North Africa,…

Being There: Pope Francis’s Death and the Future of the Catholic Church

I sat down and began writing this essay on the morning of April 21, 2025, less than thirty minutes after learning of Pope Francis’s death. Now is the time of pre-written obituaries, the lull before arguments about his “legacy,” or whispers in the loggia about the politics of succession. But such matters are not my focus here—nor is, at least directly, any claim about the proper direction of the Church’s doctrines, teachings, or practices. Absent…

The pope defended the victims of Gaza, tried to build bridges between Russia and Ukraine, and called for negotiations rather than killing. His last message, on Easter Sunday, was against "the logic of fear."

Catholics in Rwanda reflect on Pope Francis’s legacy

Catholics in the country have paid glowing tribute to the late Pope Francis who passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025 at his Vatican residence, Casa Santa Marta at 88. P...

In a letter on the occasion of the first anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, Francis addressed a message reminding Catholics of the importance of their presence in the sacred lands Pope Francis always had words for Catholics all over the world, especially for those who lived in territories in crisis or war. Even this Sunday, in his last public appearance before his death, Pope Francis made a call to “cease fire” in Gaza, to rele…

Pope Francis’s Legacy Includes a Historic Venice Biennale Visit and a Call for Restitution

Pope Francis died on April 20 at 88, marking the end of an epoch for the Catholic Church and the beginning of its search for the next spiritual leader, who will also become proprietor of the Vatican’s library and vast art collection. He was born in 1936 as Mario Bergoglio, and was named Pope in 2013, following the resignation of Benedict Pope Benedict XVI. Francis was the first Jesuit priest to lead the 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide and havi…