U.S. Catholics Saw Pope Francis as a Symbol of Change

Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America, passed away at the age of 88 on Monday. "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced. “He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized.”

Elected in 2013, Pope Francis was known for his focus on humility, mercy and social justice. As head of the Catholic Church, he lent his voice to the voiceless, emphasizing a more pastoral, inclusive approach rather than strict doctrinal enforcement, which put him in stark contrast to his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI, who was a firm defender of tradition and orthodoxy and represented a more doctrinally focused leadership.

Compared to his predecessors, Francis represented a more outward-looking, reform-minded papacy, softening the Church’s stance on controversial topics such as LGBTQ+ rights and divorce, while upholding traditional Catholic views on contraception and abortion – always prioritizing compassion over condemnation.

During his papacy, Francis was widely popular among U.S. Catholic, even if a partisan divide opened up over the years, as Francis became a vocal critic of Donald Trump during his first term. According to the Pew Research Center, Pope Francis was also seen as a symbol of change, with 42 percent of U.S. Catholics saying that he represented major change in the direction of the Catholic Church. Interestingly, he was seen as a more radical agent of change among those who didn’t view him favorably, with 54 percent of those Catholics who had an unfavorable opinion of Francis saying he symbolized major change.

Throughout his papacy, Francis had faced opposition from conservative Catholics, who criticized his openness to discussing and questioning traditional Catholic doctrine.