‘Everyone, everyone, everyone’: How Pope Francis tried to build an inclusive Church – and world

The voice has gone silent but the image and the presence of Pope Francis will remain. His was the voice of conscience for millions across the world, not necessarily of Catholics alone. His last address, Urbi et Orbi, “for the city and for the world”, delivered on Easter Sunday, the day before he passed away, was a last plea that peace is possible, expressing the longings of people in war-torn areas everywhere.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, from Argentina, of Italian descent, took the name Francis on his election in March 2013 as the head of the Vatican City State and the 1.3 billion Catholic Church.

Francis was the first pope from the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits, as they are popularly known), a Catholic religious organisation founded in 1540. He was also the first pope from Latin America. His election came after the unexpected resignation of Benedict XVI, which was seen as divine inspiration.

After he was elected, the Jesuits asked Pope Francis how they could help him. “Help the Church to implement the decisions of the Second Vatican Council,” he said. It was a reference to the Vatican II conference in 1965, the last major gathering of Church leaders to decide on Church doctrine and administration, in...

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