‘He made Catholicism cool again.’ Catholic leaders reflect on Pope Francis ahead of funeral

Three years ago, on the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ papacy, I wrote a story describing the humble Jesuit-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the first pope to be “a bit of a Californian.”

Yes, he was from Argentina, not the United States, and no, he never visited the “best coast” during his 13 years as head of the church, but by prioritizing the environment, championing poor people and striking a more welcoming tone with LGBTQ Catholics, he demonstrated a commitment to the compassionate and open-minded values many Californians share.

He also appointed more women to leadership roles in the Vatican than any pope before him, although he stopped well short of advocating for them to become priests.

In the wake of his death, and the collective mourning it’s inspired, I reached out to Catholic leaders across Southern California, asking them to share how they sum up his papacy — its impact, legacy and lingering inspiration.

A single theme came through loud and clear: Francis was a pope who prioritized those on the margins and encouraged all Catholics to do the same.

When Pope Francis began his papacy, Whoopi Goldberg expressed her admiration: “He’s going with the original program.” Indeed. Francis took seriously what Jesus took seriously: Inclusion. Non-violence. Unconditional, loving-kindness, and compassionate acceptance. He knew that the only way to erase the margins was to stand out at them. He stood with those whose dignity had been denied and those whose burdens were more than they could bear. He stood with the demonized so that the demonizing would stop and with the disposable, so that the day would come when we stop throwing people away. One of his last acts as pope was to visit a jail and stand with the easily despised and the readily left out. His entire life invited us to “the original program.”
— Father Gregory Boyle, S.J., Founder, Homeboy Industries

Francis — a pastor, pope, prophet, and friend who “smelled like his sheep” — taught us through example that working for a just distribution of the fruits of the earth and human labor is not mere philanthropy. It is a moral obligation. For Christians he said, the responsibility is even greater: It is a commandment. Pope Francis entrusts all of us with this task. To become “poets of social change” by encountering the sufferings and dreams [of] our neighbors, learning to recognize the sacredness and goodness of every person and Mother Earth, and practicing a revolutionary kind of love through community organizing that makes it more possible for every person to live with dignity and hope — “a kind of hope that does not disappoint.”
— Joseph Tomás Mckellar, executive director, PICO California

One of the best aspects of Francis’ legacy was his connection with young people. He was open and understanding and talked about issues many young people care about: the LGBTQ community, the health of the planet, fairness and social justice. In many ways, he made Catholicism cool again — this was the pope that landed on the cover of Rolling Stone.
— Joe Ferullo, CEO and publisher, National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis deeply mirrored the love of Jesus Christ especially among our most vulnerable in society. His care and humility for all people and creation drew people from all cultures and faiths. He moved in this world in an ecumenical way that went beyond his beloved church. He was truly an extraordinary leader and a role model to the world that embodied a deep faith and commitment to embrace the dignity of the human person.
— Jeanette Gonzalez Seneviratne, director of Caring for the Whole Person, Archdiocese of Los Angeles

As I reflect on the life and legacy of our beloved Holy Father, my heart is deeply moved by the profound love and compassion he showed for his people. He was, in every sense, a true shepherd — one who bore the scent of his flock, walking closely with them through their struggles, their sorrows and their joys. He reminded us, as priests and bishops, that our calling is not from afar but from within the lives of those we serve.
— Father Angelos Sebastian, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, Diocese of Orange

As a Catholic university founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, we are so grateful for our pope’s leadership and his unwavering commitment to social justice and care for our common home. Like Pope Francis modeled, our CSJ (Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph) tradition teaches us to walk with humility, to act with courage and to build unity through love. In honoring his legacy, may we continue to educate and empower leaders who will build a more just and compassionate world.
— Ann McElaney-Johnson, president, Mount St. Mary’s University

He was a great pope, a really great pope of my era, especially the way he reached out to the peripheries, which reaffirmed the ministry I had of reaching outside of the church. From the very beginning his words made it clear that this pontificate was about more than the church, that it would have a larger and greater reach. He really made that happen in his 13 years as pope.
— Father Michael Gutierrez, pastor, St. Louis of France Catholic Church, La Puente

Pope Francis has modeled a papacy grounded in inclusivity, compassion and dialogue — values at the heart of LMU’s mission. I found particular inspiration in the Synod on Synodality, his bold invitation for the global church to embrace deeper listening, shared discernment and collective journeying. His legacy, especially with our connection to him as the first Jesuit pope, empowers us to live as servant-leaders, building communities rooted in empathy and justice.
— Thomas Poon, president-elect, Loyola Marymount University

Pope Francis was a true prophetic voice in a world where human dignity has been challenged and attacked. He called each of us [to] go out to the peripheries, so that we can act as agents of mercy to the poor and the marginalized. We are blessed here in Los Angeles with having Archbishop Gomez as a spiritual leader who took on this call from Pope Francis, forming our Office of Life, Justice and Peace so that we can honor all human life: the unborn, the immigrant, our brothers and sisters suffering from homelessness, our elderly and the sick and dying. This was the mission of Pope Francis, and we will proudly continue to live out this radical spirit of accompaniment which honors the sacredness of our neighbor.
— Michael P. Donaldson, senior director, Office of Life, Justice and Peace, Archdiocese of Los Angeles

I suspect that Pope Francis was never as concerned with reforming the church as he was simply trying to reveal something of the fullness and power of the church’s most basic teachings — that God is love, that we come to know God more fully in our own loving more completely, and that our highest calling and greatest joy might just be living as if that were true.
— Father Brendan P. Busse, S.J., pastor, Dolores Mission Church