The Loss of a Pro-Palestinian Pope
Pope Francis died today — the day after Easter.
He was the first Latin American pope. A big deal for many reasons.
Before we go further, let me be super-clear. I’m not religious at all. I’ve never been a fan of any organized religion, least of all one run almost exclusively by old men. But still, there’s something about this guy’s life worth knowing — and honoring.
Further irony is this: I only just saw the movie The Two Popes two weeks ago. In the film, we get a peek into the relationship between Pope Benedict XVI and the then-future Pope Francis. It’s a story about how these two very different men — one conservative and one progressive — find common ground. I won’t write a film review here but I’ll be honest: I loved it.
No, not just the acting. No, not the story line. Those things are great, surely. But what captured my attention was the human rights and social justice stuff — the things we don’t hear enough about in organized religion.
What I learned — coming from near-zero knowledge of these men — is that Pope Francis came from a community activist background. He was also a bouncer. And a tango dancer!
As a result of all this, he was a voice for the poor, an advocate against inequality, an activist for justice. He wanted to push the church to be more open and inclusive. This is something I can appreciate, even as a non-believer. It’s about inclusion, about accountability, and about the desperate need for old institutions to evolve. There’s so much I could say here.
The point is that Pope Francis was rather unique, as far as popes go. His work with the poor in Argentina was the catalyst — he consistently and courageously spoke out against inequality, poverty, and exploitation of those who are vulnerable. He was also vocal in his support for peace, diplomacy, non-violence — the stuff we’ve been crying out for for ages.
And, he also “cared” about women’s rights. I’m not saying the guy was a feminist, per se, but he was better than most of the others. He spoke out against violence against women — and in favor of women’s dignity and rights. He was critical of social structures that perpetuate inequality — including within the church. He actually appointed women to senior positions in the Vatican — in roles previously held by men.
Pope Francis actually did acknowledge the women’s movement — stating that it helped bring a much-needed recognition of women’s rights. Still, it’s complex to label him as a feminist — and this is gonna require a lot more research than this hasty blog will allow. For now let’s just say that while he upheld many of the patriarchal traditions deeply embedded in the church, he pushed forward more than his predecessors. Don’t get me started on reproductive rights, however…
One seriously critical thing was his advocacy for long-overdue and hugely-needed church accountability for sexual abuse within the church. He expanded church law to hold senior leaders to account and mandated the reporting of abuse, even establishing systems to report the abuse ensuring that actions are taken and survivors and whistleblowers are protected. Beyond that, he advocated for the creation of special centers for survivors for healing and justice. This is no small thing. More work to be done, surely, but it was a start — and more than most in his position have done. Ultimately, he made the point that no one in the church is above the law, emphasizing that the church must not tolerate any of this stuff. Ever.
That is a legacy worth celebrating.
Did I know any of this before watching the film? Only very superficially. And, I admit I didn’t notice it much before, but he often called for dialogue and negotiation in conflict zones. And when he spoke out for Palestine… well… I started to pay closer attention.
His solidarity with the Palestinian people, and his advocacy for a just and lasting solution, are also worth remembering. Just yesterday, Al Jazeera published an article that I happened to see about the Pope being “increasingly vocal about Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.”
The Pope’s support actually predates the current genocide. In 2015, he officially recognized the State of Palestine, and since Israel’s increased attacks he has made numerous comments publicly condemning the genocide. For example, in December 2024, he said “Children were bombed. This is not war. This is cruelty. I want to say this because it touches my heart.”
As it should — for all of us.
The selection of Pope Francis as the first Latin American pope was a big deal for a few key reasons. For centuries, the papacy had been held almost exclusively by Europeans. Francis’s election signaled a shift, acknowledging the growing importance of Latin America — the largest Catholic population in the world. Finally, the church appeared to be more… global. More… diverse. What’s more, his background and experience working on issues of poverty, inequality, social justice brought a much-needed perspective to the Vatican. I’m sure this played a big part in his understanding of the situation in Palestine — and provided the conviction for him to be as vocal as he could, using his position for good.
Pope Francis called the Gaza parish daily. Yes, daily. And just yesterday, he appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday as an aide read out his benediction. He condemned the “deplorable humanitarian situation” caused by Israel’s 19-month assault on Palestinians, calling the situation “very serious and shameful.”
Pope Francis’s unique background and story will be remembered — even by non-believers like me. If the leader of one of the world’s most conservative institutions can speak out for Palestine, I wonder what is stopping the rest of the world?!
And I wonder (read: worry) about who might come next. For now, we’re watching the smoke signals and hoping that his legacy lives on…
