Pope’s legacy, impact on local Church
Opinion
Pope Francis’ love of the God of Jesus Christ was the motivating heart of his life and work. He lived simply and humbly, residing in Domus Sanctae Marthae, a guest house within the Vatican, forgoing the papal suite. He reached out to and embraced those on the margins, memorably washing prisoners’ feet each Holy Thursday, and welcoming refugees on the Mediterranean coast at Lampedusa.
Francis was committed to furthering the impact of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) on the Roman Catholic Church. He broadened the practice of synodality or communal discernment in the Church to include the active participation of lay people in the Synod on Synodality (2021-2024). He sought a better representation of women in leadership positions, appointing women as senior leaders within Vatican departments and Roman universities. He ensured that the membership of the College of Cardinals more closely reflected the cultural diversity of the global Church, rather than it being heavily weighted towards European members.
Francis’ encyclical on the ecological crisis, Laudato Si’ (2015), and the follow-up apostolic exhortation, Laudate Deum (2023), plead with humanity to work to overcome the catastrophic damage done to the natural world – to care for the earth and care for the poor. Laudato Si’ is seen by many in the environmental movement as the most important document on the crisis published this century. The encyclical’s message has flourished internationally through the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, and has strongly influenced many Catholic schools and groups.
Francis’ leadership has had a profound impact on the Archdiocese of Adelaide. Diocesan and regional assemblies, and the upcoming 2026 Archdiocesan Synod, have been motivated by Francis’ teaching on synodality and missionary discipleship. The Archdiocesan Council for Integral Ecology has furthered the concerns of Laudato Si’, which has been taken up widely in Catholic schools.
