‘Who am I to judge?’: How Pope Francis battled for an inclusive Church

Pope Francis, who passed away aged 88, will be remembered as a revolutionary pontiff who worked to reshape the Catholic Church into a more inclusive and compassionate institution. From embracing the poor and migrants to showing unexpected support for LGBTQ+ believers, his decade-long papacy was defined by a willingness to confront centuries-old dogma and face down conservative opposition.
Elected in 2013 following Pope Benedict XVI’s historic resignation, Francis immediately signalled a shift in tone. Rejecting the opulence of papal palaces, he chose to live in modest Vatican guesthouse rooms, calling for “a poor Church for the poor.” Named after Saint Francis of Assisi, the Argentine pope brought humility and humanity to the papacy — and in doing so, attracted both admiration and fierce resistance.
Support for LGBTQ+ and remarried Catholics
Francis’s now-famous remark, “Who am I to judge?” in response to questions about gay Catholics, encapsulated his open-hearted approach. While not changing Church doctrine on same-sex marriage, he allowed blessings for same-sex couples and approved the baptism of transgender believers.
He also took significant steps toward welcoming divorced and remarried Catholics back into the fold, allowing them to receive communion — a move that drew the ire of many traditionalists.
His support for marginalised groups didn’t stop there. On his first Easter, he washed and kissed the feet of prisoners, including women and Muslims, marking the start of a papacy rooted in symbolic gestures of inclusion.
Embracing migrants and challenging power
Pope Francis regularly championed the plight of migrants. His first overseas visit was to Lampedusa, where he condemned the “globalisation of indifference.” He later brought Syrian Muslim refugee families back to Rome after a visit to Lesbos, and publicly criticised border walls, including those proposed by Donald Trump.
He also denounced the global economic system that he believed exploited the poor. His 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si” linked economic injustice to environmental collapse, declaring that the Earth was becoming “an immense pile of filth” under unchecked capitalism.
Francis’s economic and environmental messages earned him praise from progressives but drew accusations of Marxism from some U.S. conservatives. He dismissed the label, saying, “I have known many Marxists and they are good people.”
Reform, resistance and legacy
Internally, Francis worked to tackle corruption and mismanagement within the Vatican. He reformed the scandal-plagued Vatican Bank, opened archives to civil courts, and pursued justice in a high-profile financial trial that resulted in the conviction of Cardinal Angelo Becciu.
He also sought to change the character of Church leadership, replacing rigid doctrinarians with more pastoral-minded figures. This led to a high-profile clash with Cardinal Raymond Burke, a vocal critic whom Francis ultimately sanctioned.
Though he refused to overturn Church opposition to abortion, contraception, or the ordination of women, he did appoint women to prominent Vatican roles and repeatedly called for a more merciful Church.