‘He made Catholicism cool again.’ Catholic leaders reflect on Pope Francis ahead of funeral
- After a 13-year papacy, Pope Francis died on Monday at age 88.
- We asked prominent SoCal Catholic leaders to describe his legacy.
- A single consensus emerged: Pope Francis always prioritized the most vulnerable and he inspired others to do the same
Three years ago, on the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ papacy, I wrote a story describing the humble Jesuit-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the first pope to be “a bit of a Californian.”
Yes, he was from Argentina, not the United States, and no, he never visited the “best coast” during his 13 years as head of the church, but by prioritizing the environment, championing poor people and striking a more welcoming tone with LGBTQ Catholics, he demonstrated a commitment to the compassionate and open-minded values many Californians share.