The Life Story of Pope Francis: Humble Beginnings and Lasting Legacy

“Who am I to judge?” These words by Pope Francis have reshaped the world’s perception of the Catholic Church. On February 14, he was admitted to a special room at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Hospital with double pneumonia, passing away on March 23. His final public appearance came just yesterday. Sensing his end approaching, he confided in close Vatican associates that he wouldn’t make it, prompting the Conclave to begin preparations for his succession. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, to Italian immigrant parents, Pope Francis became the first non-European pope, the first from Latin America, and the first to take the name Francis. He aimed to restore trust in an institution many perceived as distant, conservative, and untrustworthy. Since becoming pope in 2013, he worked to make the Church more inclusive, granting roles to women and LGBTQ+ individuals despite backlash from conservatives. Efforts to combat clergy abuse yielded mixed results. Interestingly, his family narrowly escaped tragedy during the infamous sinking of the ‘Italian Titanic,’ which claimed 300 lives off Brazil’s coast. Before joining the priesthood, Francis studied chemistry, earned a master’s degree, and taught literature and philosophy. A lifelong fan of San Lorenzo, he even worked as a nightclub bouncer before discovering his calling.