Pope Francis by Nolan and Zak

Now he has to hold the worldwide Church together. He is doing so not merely by challenging progressives to be more loyal to the Magisterium or by castigating conservatives for being closed-minded. He is also focusing our minds on concrete charity and the need to be more self-giving.

To understand Francis it is essential to grasp his strong devotion to St Thérèse of Lisieux. When he was a cardinal he could be seen praying before her statue. Pope Francis has adopted the Little Way into his papacy. Just as the Little Flower was mocked by her fellow nuns, there are those who jeer at the importance that Pope Francis places on taking small steps to being more generous while combining piety with good works.

St. Francis is the patron of animals, merchants, and ecology. He is also considered the patron saint against dying alone; patron saint against fire; patron saint of the Franciscan Order and Catholic Action; patron saint of families, peace, and needleworkers.

What did they do to help others?
Embracing the sick and disabled
Helping the Poor
Pope Francis says helping the poor isn’t a fad, but a duty.
Telling young people to help others
Donating 10% of his funds to help the needy.

He is the first non-European pope in over 1,000 years and the first Latin American pope.

He has a master’s degree in Chemistry and worked in the foods section of a laboratory

At the age of 21, he suffered from life-threatening pneumonia and part of his lung was removed.

He worked as a bouncer at a bar in Buenos Aires to pay for his studies.

He reportedly turned to religion after being spurned by his childhood sweetheart, Amalia Damante. She told the UK’s Daily Telegraph that Pope Francis once declared: "If I can’t marry you, I’ll become a priest

Regina maria sivori (mother)

Mario Jose Bergoglio (father)

Maria Elena Bergoglio (sister)

Marta Regina Bergoglio (sister)

Jorge Mario Bergoglio (pope francis, eldest child)

Oscar Adrian Bergoglio (brother)

Alberto Bergoglio (brother)

Pope Francis was born on 17 December 1936 in Flores, a neighborhood of Buenos Aires. He was the eldest of five children of Mario José Bergoglio (1908–1959) and Regina María Sívori (1911–1981). Mario Bergoglio was an Italian immigrant accountant born in Portacomaro (Province of Asti) in Italy's Piedmont region.

The decline of Catholicism in the U.S. and Europe Forum on Religion & Public Life shows that the "percentage of U.S. Catholics who consider themselves 'strong' members of the Roman Catholic Church has never been lower than it was in 2012."

Continuing sex scandals. Benedict was Cardinal Ratzinger, the man in charge of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which is responsible for investigating claims of sex abuse. He would later be the subject of a lawsuit by the Survivors' Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), which claimed he either "knew and/or some cases consciously disregarded information that showed subordinates were committing or about to commit such crimes."

Ever since he was elected as the leader of the world’s Roman Catholics, Pope Francis has been the target of conservative adversaries deeply opposed to his focus on the poor and marginalised, and his efforts to reform the church.

Welcomes same sex marriage to the church

Was time magazine’s person of the year

Helped reconcile the US and cuba

Extends the catholic church out to forgive abortions

Interview with Antonio Spadaro, S.J.
Father Spadaro’s interview with Pope Francis in the pages of America made international news and inaugurated a new style of communication for this pope, who is now known for the extensive interviews he gives to the press, often aboard the papal plane.

Trip to the United States and Cuba
Francis made stops in Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia during his first visit to the United States in 2015. At the United Nations, he spoke about immigration, drug trafficking and the need to protect the environment. He continued his message of reconciliation and called for compassion toward migrants during an address to Congress.

Year of Mercy
While the year is over, Francis continues to spread a message of mercy. In a homily following the year, he said, “even if the Holy Door closes, the true door of mercy, which is the heart of Christ, always remains open wide for us.”