The passing of the 266th Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis, is a moment for Catholics and non-Catholics alike to reflect on the vastness of the Church he led for some 12 years. Francis “returned to the House of the Father,” in the words of one of his courtiers, just after the celebration of Easter. Long wracked by illness, he was able to bless the faithful at St. Peter’s Square one final time on the holy day. It was a greeting, and a goodbye. 

The groundbreaking nature of Francis’s papacy began with his own biography. The first pontifex maximus to rise from South America, the Argentinian was also the first Pope to emerge from the Jesuit order. He assumed the Chair of St. Peter after the stunning resignation of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. No leader of the Catholic Church had stepped aside short of the grave since 1415. Benedict served as Pope emeritus alongside Francis.

“Buona sera” is how Francis began his first address as Pope, and the erstwhile archbishop of Argentina was for many  —especially those hankering for change in the Church — a breath of fresh air. He appeared open to theological evolution on subjects like homosexuality — “who am I to judge?” he asked of a supposedly gay priest — and the role of women and the place of divorce. Vatican insiders describe an iron fist behind a winning smile.

Francis’s politics were of the left, and not only on theological matters like his antagonism to the Latin Mass beloved by more traditional believers. He came to an accord with Beijing over the selection of bishops in Communist China. Francis chose not to speak up forcefully for one of the Church’s most faithful followers, the newspaper baron Jimmy Lai, who has been held in prison since 2020. Francis appeared to side with the Palestinian Arabs at Gaza.

The first pope to take the name “Francis,” the man born Jorge Mario Bergoglio spent his papacy working to reshape the Church. The College of Cardinals that will select his successor through a papal conclave bears his imprint. His focus on the poor and marginalized energized many who thought that the Roman Curia had grown inward-looking. His conviction that the Church’s future lies in the South —Africa, Latin America — could be vindicated.

One of Francis’s last meetings in this vale of tears was with Vice President Vance, a convert to Catholicism who spent Holy Week at Rome. It first appeared as if the two would not meet, possibly owing to disagreements over the Trump administration’s policy on immigration. In the end, a brief audience was arranged. It strikes us as fitting that even in disagreement these two men of faith were able to meet and exchange Easter sentiments.     

One of the things we find ourselves thinking at this moment is a point Justice Antonin Scalia used to make — which is that religion is a good thing in our world. It’s hard to think of a religious figure with the impact of the leader of the Catholic Church, with more than 1.4 billion followers even in this so-called secular age. Which is why as a conclave is summoned so many who are not Catholics will be watching for the puffs of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel.