Pope Francis set the Vatican on a path toward tolerance in a changing world

When Pope Francis uttered his now-famous "Who am I to judge?" in response to a question about gay priests just months after his 2013 election, it was more than an off-the-cuff remark. It was a declaration of intent. The new pope was broadcasting a shift in tone and priorities: a Catholic Church less focused on judgment and more open to dialogue, inclusion and social justice.

In the earliest days of his papacy, the Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio chose to reside in the modest Vatican guest house instead of the apostolic palace, swapped a chauffeured limo for an economy car and tread in simple black shoes — signalling the Church was under new management. Dogma would no longer dominate the agenda. In its place: compassion, outreach and humility.

Longtime Vatican observers say that along with Francis's radical refocusing of Church priorities came a hierarchical overhaul, one that will leave as lasting a mark as his revisioning of the Church's role in the modern world.

"He turned the Vatican inside out like a sock," said Franca Giansoldati, Vatican correspondent with the Roman daily Il Messaggero. "He removed the old structures, making the Church more flexible and shifting the centre toward the global periphery."

Francis's papacy had clear limits: his handling of the sex abuse crisis and, despite appointing women to top positions and striking an inclusive note for 2SLGBTQ+ Catholics, was still anchored in what many observers call outdated notions.

Global shift in power structure

Still, under Francis, the Catholic Church became more globally attuned and outward-facing.

The clearest sign of that transition was the global rebalancing of the College of Cardinals, 80 per cent of whom were appointed by Francis and who in just days from now will begin casting their ballots for the next pope.

Twelve years ago, when Francis was elected, more than half of cardinals were from Europe. Today, less than 40 per cent hail from the Old World, with the percentage of African and Asian cardinals swelling from 18 per cent in 2013 to comprise almost a third of the College today.

"His greatest legacy has been of being the first global pope," said Massimo Faggioli, a professor of theology and religious studies at Villanova University near Philadelphia. "He made it very clear that the Church is not wedded forever to European Mediterranean culture, that it needed to become more universal. This marked the Catholic Church's true entry into the third millennium."

But it's not just where the cardinals are chosen from, say Vatican experts, but also where their priorities lie. Many of Francis's appointments pushed the Church to engage more deeply with advocating for migrants and environmental stewardship.

His granting priests the option to bless same-sex couples and include divorced and remarried couples in the sacraments; his inclusion of women, Muslims and non-believers in his Holy Thursday Washing of the Feet ritual; and focus on climate and social justice in landmark Church documents were all evidence of what mattered to him most.

His 2015 encyclical on climate change and inequality, On Care for Our Common Home, was one of many calls to action about the planet. Francis, at various points, called out "greed" and climate deniers as standing in the way of climate action, and warned that "we barely have time to prevent even more tragic damage."

"Francis changed the pastoral priorities of the Church by saying the first words of evangelization are "God loves you," not, 'Here's the catechism to memorize, here's the rule book to follow," said Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest and senior analyst at the U.S.-based Religion News Service.

Encouraging open discussion, to a point

At his global bishops' gatherings known as synods, Francis encouraged open discussion about formerly off-the-table subjects and the consultation of lay people and women, whom he gave voting rights for the first time.

Francis also appointed women to top Vatican positions. Yet, while he said the question of female deacons could be explored, he remained firmly opposed to the ordination of women.

"Yes, he promoted women and allowed them to vote, but he was an old Argentinian Jesuit with certain cultural and personal limits that didn't allow him to fully embrace women in the running of the Catholic Church," said Iacopo Scaramuzzi, Vatican observer with the Italian daily La Repubblica. "He was not a feminist."

Francis's insistence the Church should not fixate on abortion, birth control, and same-sex marriage led to clashes with conservative American bishops.

So, too, did the synods, which prompted alarmed letters to the Pope. The conservative bishops warned that the gatherings risked undermining church doctrine, particularly on his loosening rules for communion for the divorced and remarried, 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion and decentralizing authority.

The attempts to delegitimize Francis by the small minority became weaker over time, say observers, but the undercurrent of skepticism toward him was never fully extinguished.

"The Pope was very patient with people who disagreed with him, even the people who were kind of obnoxious," said Reese. "He wasn't going to tell people who disagreed with him, 'OK, then you can't participate.' He acted more like a spiritual director than a CEO. But some people just needed to be fired."

Sex abuse: inadequate reforms

Some of the strongest criticism of Francis, though, came from outside the Church over his handling of the clerical sex abuse crisis. He set up a Vatican commission and removed some high-profile abusers, but his response was often inconsistent. In Chile, his defence of a bishop accused of cover-up sparked outrage, forcing a public apology. He later introduced stricter accountability measures, but most survivors saw little real change.

While the Pope's handling of the sex abuse crisis fell short, observers say his attempts to reform the Vatican bank, also long riddled with corruption and coverup, were far more successful in ushering in transparency and accountability.

Vatican observers say he also put in motion a realignment — still ongoing — of the relationship between the Vatican administration, known as the Roman Curia, and bishops worldwide.

"The new Church constitution brought in by Francis puts the Curia at the service of the Church, and no longer vice versa," said Vatican correspondent Antonio Pelayo. "For years, the Curia treated global bishops like wayward students to be kept in line. Francis made it clear that bishops have their own autonomy and that the Curia's role is to support them."

Francis was not a pope of purges or crackdowns. Instead, say those who closely followed his papacy, he opened windows and doors and spoke in a language accessible to all — the faithful and outsiders, including Muslims and non-believers.

Yet, as renowned Vatican analyst Marco Politi notes, within the Church there remains a divide and "there will not be a Pope Francis II" nor a return to hardline conservatism.

"What cardinals in the conclave will be seeking is someone in the centre, a mediator who can bring together the fractured parts of the Church" following the Francis revolution.