Ethan Walker
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2013 until his death in 2025. He was the first pope from the Americas and the first non-European pope in over a millennium. Pope Francis was known for his humility, his concern for the poor, and his commitment to dialogue as a way to build bridges between people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and faiths. He was also an advocate for migrants and marginalized people. However, his papacy was not without controversy, as he faced criticism for his handling of sexual abuse cases within the Church and his opposition to same-sex marriage.
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What You'll Learn
- Pope Francis's views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage
- Pope Francis's commitment to tackling sexual abuse in the Catholic Church
- Pope Francis's views on the celibacy of priests
- Pope Francis's efforts to promote unity between Catholics, non-Catholics, and non-Christians
- Pope Francis's commitment to tackling corruption in the Catholic Church
Pope Francis's views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage
Pope Francis has adopted a more conciliatory tone toward LGBTQ+ people than his predecessors, urging the decriminalization of homosexuality and stating that it is not a crime. In a 2013 interview, he famously replied: "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?". He has also said that gay priests "shouldn't be marginalised" and that "the tendency [same-sex attraction] is not the problem... they're our brothers".
In a 2019 televised interview, Pope Francis said: "Tendencies are not sin. If you have a tendency to anger, it's not a sin. Now, if you are angry and hurt people, the sin is there". In a series of interviews with Jesuit priest Antonio Spadaro in August 2013, he said that the Church did not want to condemn homosexual persons to social exclusion.
In a 2018 press conference, he said that parents should neither deny nor disown their homosexual children: "Pray. Don't condemn, [but] dialogue, understand, make room for [your] son or daughter. Make room for them to say what they have to say... I would never say that silence is the answer; to ignore a son or daughter with a homosexual tendency is not good parenthood". In the same conference, however, he suggested that gay children could seek psychiatric treatment.
Pope Francis has also criticised laws that criminalise homosexuality as "unjust", saying God loves all his children just as they are and calling on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the Church.
In 2023, Pope Francis approved blessings for same-sex couples in informal settings, such as a meeting or a visit to a shrine, as long as the blessing does not appear to endorse a marriage. The declaration "recognises the deep desire in many Catholic same-sex couples for God's presence in their loving relationships", wrote Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández in an introduction to the document. However, the Vatican stressed that marriage remains exclusively between a man and a woman, and any priests granting a blessing to a same-sex couple must "avoid any form of confusion or scandal" that could suggest otherwise.
Pope Francis's stance on homosexuality and same-sex marriage has been described as complicated for LGBTQ+ people. While his welcoming tone of acceptance is a step in the right direction, the Catechism of the Catholic Church continues to characterise "homosexual acts" as "intrinsically disordered... contrary to natural law... [and] close the sexual act to the gift of life". This presents a basic incoherence between the Pope's words and the Church's teaching on homosexuality, leaving parents and children with more questions than answers.
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Pope Francis's commitment to tackling sexual abuse in the Catholic Church
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936, was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until his death on 21 April 2025. He was the first pope from South America and the first from outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope, Gregory III.
Pope Francis has taken several actions to combat sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. In 2014, he made his first public request for forgiveness from victims of sexual abuse in the Church. He also called for “very severe” sanctions against those guilty of raping children. In 2015, he admitted that he mishandled the case of Inzoli, a priest convicted of sexually abusing children. In 2018, he accepted the resignation of auxiliary bishop Juan José Pineda, a close aide of Cardinal Maradiaga, following revelations of sexual abuse of seminarians. In 2019, he made sweeping changes that allowed for greater transparency in the Catholic Church. He also kissed the hands of Marek Lisinski, a Polish victim of sexual abuse, during an audience at the Vatican.
However, Pope Francis has also been accused of opposing reforms to tackle clerical sexual abuse. In 2024, activists for survivors of clerical sexual abuse said that the Pope had failed to fulfil his promises and that the new rules had made little impact. It was also alleged that he favoured accused bishops and clerics over their victims. For instance, in 2023, Marko Rupnik was accepted into a diocese in Slovenia despite being excommunicated in 2020 after accusations of sexual and psychological assault against nuns.
In summary, while Pope Francis has taken some steps to address sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, there are also criticisms that he has not done enough and that he has opposed reforms. His commitment to tackling this issue has been questioned by some.
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Pope Francis's views on the celibacy of priests
Pope Francis has described priestly celibacy as a “gift from God" and a “provisional” discipline observed mostly in the Western Church that is not essential to ordination. In an interview with Infobae, he said, "There is no contradiction for a priest to marry. Celibacy in the Western Church is a temporary prescription: I do not know if it is settled in one way or another, but it is temporary in this sense". He added that "it is not eternal like priestly ordination, which is forever, whether you like it or not. Whether you leave or not is another matter, but it is forever. On the other hand, celibacy is a discipline".
Pope Francis has also said that "celibacy is a discipline" that "could be revised", and that "in fact, everyone in the Eastern Church are married, or those who want to. There they make a choice. Before ordination, there is the choice to marry or to be celibate". He has noted that there are already married priests in the Catholic Church in the Eastern rites, and that he had met with an Eastern Catholic priest who works in the Roman Curia and has a wife and son.
Pope Francis has previously spoken about the value of priestly celibacy, saying in 2019 that "personally, I think that celibacy is a gift to the Church. I would say that I do not agree with allowing optional celibacy, no". He has also said that he does not think that lifting the celibacy obligation in the Catholic Church would increase the number of candidates to the priesthood.
In 2020, Pope Francis dismissed allowing married priests as a solution to clergy shortages in remote areas of South America, following the Synod of Bishops on the Pan-Amazon Region. However, he has also said that there is room to consider some exceptions for married clergy in the Latin rite "when there is a pastoral necessity" in remote locations due to a lack of priests, such as in the Pacific Islands.
In 2014, Pope Francis suggested that any change to the rule on celibacy would have to start with national bishop conferences, which would "seek and find consensus on reform and we should then bring up our suggestions for reform in Rome". He said that it was up to the bishops to make suggestions, and that the topic should be discussed, beginning with remote areas that have a shortage of priests.
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Pope Francis's efforts to promote unity between Catholics, non-Catholics, and non-Christians
Pope Francis, the first pope from the Western Hemisphere, South America, and the Jesuit order, brought about numerous reforms and a reputation for humility during his tenure. One of his notable achievements was his effort to foster unity between Catholics, non-Catholics, and non-Christians.
Pope Francis actively promoted ecumenism, or unity among Christian churches and other religions. He emphasised his commitment to ecumenism in a December 2013 interview with La Stampa, stating, "For me, ecumenism is a priority." During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, he addressed the attendees of the John 17 Movement, stating that "Division is the work of the Father of Lies" and that Christians are one in their discipleship of Christ.
In May 2016, Pope Francis sent a letter to Tawadros II, acknowledging their shared commitment to holiness and defending human dignity, and celebrating the friendship between Catholics and Coptic Orthodox Christians. He also met with members of various Methodist organisations in 2016, calling for Catholics and Methodists to unite in their Christian beliefs and service to others.
Pope Francis sought to improve relations with other Christian faiths, other religious beliefs, and even non-believers. During the 2016 Octave of Christian Unity, he asked forgiveness for the way Catholics had treated other Christian believers over the years. In 2025, he called on the Catholic and Orthodox Churches to make a definitive effort towards unity, especially with the alignment of the Easter date for both denominations that year. He also planned to bring Catholics and Orthodox Christians together to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, which produced the Nicene Creed professed by all Christians.
Pope Francis's efforts extended beyond Christian unity. During his 2015 papal visit to the Philippines, he met with Chief Justice Reynato Puno, a United Methodist layman, and other religious leaders and peace advocates to discuss humanitarian relief efforts. He also expressed solidarity with migrants, visiting the Italian island of Lampedusa in 2013 and calling for an end to indifference towards the plight of migrants travelling from Africa and the Middle East to Europe.
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Pope Francis's commitment to tackling corruption in the Catholic Church
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2013 until his death in 2025. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American, and the first pope born outside of Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope, Gregory III.
Pope Francis has been committed to tackling corruption in the Catholic Church. In 2021, he issued a decree compelling top managers at the Vatican, including cardinals, to provide full financial disclosures and refuse any gifts worth more than $50. The decree aimed to bring the church into accord with the best financial practices to ensure transparency and fight corruption, citing the Gospel of Luke: "According to Scripture, fidelity in small things is related to fidelity in important ones."
The pope has acknowledged that corruption is an "ancient evil" within the church, and that various individuals at different levels, including clergy and fake lay 'friends' of the church, have contributed to the squandering of assets belonging to the faithful. He has also expressed shame and sorrow for the church's role in abuses against Indigenous peoples in Canada and made an apostolic journey to the country to express remorse and seek reconciliation.
Pope Francis has faced criticism for his handling of sexual abuse cases within the church. In 2014, he reversed a decision regarding a priest, Inzoli, convicted of sexually abusing children, choosing to remove him from public ministry rather than defrock him. In 2015, he supported Chilean Bishop Juan Barros, who was accused of covering up sexual abuse cases, including crimes against minors. However, he has also offered historic apologies to survivors of clergy sexual abuse, signaling his commitment to addressing this issue.
In addition to tackling corruption, Pope Francis has brought about other significant reforms and achievements. These include his encyclical "Laudato si'" addressing the climate crisis and environmental stewardship, his efforts to promote unity between Catholics and non-Catholics, and his advocacy for migrants and marginalized people.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Pope Francis is a real Catholic. He was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until his death on 21 April 2025.
Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Pope Francis admitted that he mishandled the case of a priest convicted of sexually abusing children. In 2015, he was also criticised for supporting a Chilean bishop accused of covering up Catholic Church sexual abuse cases. However, he did express sorrow, indignation, and shame over the church's abuse of Canadian Indigenous children in residential schools.
