From his humility to his progressive stance on LGBTQ+ issues: Why is Pope Francis well-loved?

A Pope of many 'firsts'

In case you didn't know, Francis, who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is the first pope from the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Order), the first from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere, and the first born or raised outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian Pope Gregory III.

As he also treated the internet as "a gift from God," Francis became the first pope to have an Instagram account. He reached one million followers in just 12 hours. As of this writing, his IG account has 9.7 million followers. 

Likewise, he also shared messages of hope with his more than 18.4 million followers on X.

In 2021, Francis appointed a woman for the first time as undersecretary to the Synod of Bishops.

Additionally, he was the first pope to visit certain countries including Kenya and Africa in 2015, the Arabian Peninsula in 2019, Chile, Mongolia in 2023, Mozambique, Madagascar, and Mauritius in 2019, and Iraq in 2021. 

The Church as a field hospital

Pope Francis has repeatedly called for greater attention to the needs of the poor, the homeless, and those who suffer from injustice. 

His famous declaration, "The Church is a field hospital after battle," during the Third Meeting of Iglesias Hospital de Campaña or "Field Hospital Churches," emphasizes the importance of caring for the wounded spiritually and in all aspects of life. 

From his visits to slums in South America to his consistent call for justice for refugees and displaced people, Pope Francis has made it clear that true faith is about action—especially for the most vulnerable in society.

Tackling the sexual abuse crisis 

In 2014, Francis established the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors to hold bishops accountable for handling cases of abuse and to ensure that the Church becomes a safe environment for all its members.

This came after he addressed the ongoing sexual abuse crisis within the Catholic Church head-on. He pledged to take decisive action to ensure the protection of children and vulnerable adults within the Church. 

Francis has taken steps to increase transparency, remove offenders from positions of power, and create new protocols for the protection of minors. 

For instance, the pontiff expelled a Filipino priest from Borongan, Eastern Samar, due to allegations of sexual abuse involving minors.

Inclusivity across faiths

In 2019, Francis signed the Document on Human Fraternity with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb. This document called for peace, tolerance, and interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

"This is what we hope and seek to achieve with the aim of finding a universal peace that all can enjoy in this life," the document read. 

The pope has also stirred controversy within the Church as said, "All religions are a path to God."

"They are—I make a comparison—like different languages, different idoms, to get there. But God is God for everyone," he said during a gathering in Singapore in September 2024.

"And since God is God for everyone, we are all children of God. 'But my God is more important than yours!' Is this true? There is only one God, and our religions are languages, paths to reach God. Some are Sikh, some are Muslim, some are Hindu, some are Christian, but they are different paths."

This earned mixed remarks from the Catholic community. On X, Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas wrote, "Please pray for Pope Francis to clearly state that Jesus Christ is the only Way. To deny this is to deny him."

Call for climate change and environmental degradation

In 2015, Pope Francis released his encyclical Laudato si', subtitled "On care for our common home," calling for urgent action on climate change and environmental degradation. 

This document linked environmental responsibility to social justice, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of environmental harm on the poor and marginalized.

Francis has been a vocal advocate for global action to protect the planet, urging individuals and governments alike to take responsibility for the world's ecological crisis.

Significant strides in LGBTQIA+ inclusivity

Although the Catholic Church is traditionally conservative on LGBTQ+ issues, Pope Francis has consistently called for dignity and respect for LGBTQ+ individuals. 

Early in his papacy, he made a notable statement in 2013, saying, "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?" after a Vatican journalist asked him about gay people in the Catholic Church. 

He also emphasized that "gay clergymen should be forgiven and their sins forgotten." This is in contrast with Pope Benedict XVI's stand that "men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be priests," as he signed a document in 2005. 

While the church has not officially endorsed same-sex marriage or full LGBTQ+ rights, Francis has used his platform to promote a more inclusive, compassionate stance toward the LGBTQ+ community, including allowing priests to bless same-sex couples on a case-by-case basis.

Ultimately, his message of mercy, rather than judgment, has helped soften the Church's historically harsh rhetoric and earned him praise from LGBTQ+ advocates worldwide.

Despite this, the pontifex was caught using a gay slur during a meeting with Italian bishops in May 2024 as he joked about the number of gay men in seminaries. He has since apologized but used the vulgar term again.

On family and marriage life

Francis also held a Synod on the Family, a series of gatherings of bishops, in 2014 and 2015 to tackle divorce, remarriage, and cohabitation. 

Although the synods didn't endorse drastic changes to traditional Church doctrine, the pope promoted a more compassionate approach to these issues, emphasizing pastoral care and understanding over rigid rules.

On marital issues, he said that sometimes separation is "morally necessary" to protect the weaker spouse or small children from serious injuries.

In the Amoris Laetitia, a 2016 exhortation, the pope called for opening the possibility for divorced and remarried people to have access to the sacrements, which he said "made some people throw their arms up in horror."

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Church "maintains a new union cannot be recognized valid first the first marriage was." It also states that those who remarry "objectively contravenes God's law," thus they cannot receive sacraments like the Eucharistic communion. 

In the past, he's had some not-so-inclusive views on childless dog and cat owners as he lamented having pets over kids "diminishes us, takes away our humanity."

Simplicity and humility

Perhaps one of the most beloved aspects of Pope Francis is his humble and approachable demeanor. From the moment he was elected, he chose to live in the Vatican guesthouse instead of the Apostolic Palace, and he regularly chooses simple, relatable actions over lavish ceremonies. His humble lifestyle and emphasis on serving others rather than seeking prestige have won him admiration among Catholics and across all walks of life.

Pope Francis has also redefined what it means to be a religious leader. 

For instance, he paid his own bills and greeted the staff in Domus Internationalis Paulus VI, a historic Palazzo located in Rome, "because he was concerned about giving a good example of what priests and bishops should do."

Moreover, he rode the bus home with the cardinals instead of hopping in the papal limousine after being elected. He even invited a group of homeless men to celebrate his birthday. 

Similarly, Francis issued a decree that changed the Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony rules to allow women to participate as the ceremony is a "reminder that Christians are called to serve others in a spirit of humility."