Catholic Hopes for Transformative Change Under Pope Francis: A Complex Legacy

The late Pope's papacy exemplified the tension between revolutionary aspirations and traditional Church teachings.

When Pope Francis gathered Roman Catholic bishops in 2019 to deliberate on the potential ordination of married men in isolated areas of South America, it ignited fervent hopes for a seismic shift in the church’s celibacy doctrine. The bishops voiced their recommendation for change, aligning with Francis's advocacy for grassroots transformations within the church. However, in a surprising turn, the Pope ultimately decided against such changes, citing a lack of readiness within the Church to overturn a deeply entrenched custom that has lasted for nearly a millennium. This decision left many of his progressive followers feeling disillusioned, as they anticipated a radical overhaul during his tenure.

Pope Francis, who passed away recently at the age of 88, represented a figure whose expectation-laden papacy gave rise to both excitement and disappointment. His liberating, often unorthodox approach inspired Catholics across a spectrum of beliefs, compelling them to invest in him their loftiest ambitions and unfulfilled fears—often detached from the realities he presented. While liberal factions in the Church pinned their hopes on reforms such as the ordination of women, a shift in contraception policy, or endorsing same-sex unions, conservative factions fretted over accusations of radicalism, fearing he might overturn traditional Church doctrine—a fear that proved unfounded as Francis remained steadfast in maintaining those teachings.