Pope Francis Emphasized Catholicism Globally, Reached Beyond Us, Europe Into Impoverished Nations

Over nan people of his 12 years arsenic pontiff, Pope Francis’ papacy has been some highly regarded arsenic influential and scrutinized arsenic modernized and anti-traditional.

Leaving down a bequest of description , Pope Francis ministered to style nan Catholic Church’s early and standard its scope beyond areas of attraction successful some nan U.S. and Europe.

"If you deliberation astir really past he has approached appointing cardinals," Tim Gabrielli, subordinate professor and Gudorf chair successful Catholic intelligence traditions astatine nan University of Dayton successful Ohio, told Fox News Digital. "He's been very intentional astir that."

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Pope Francis was elected pope connected March 13, 2013. (Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty)

Pope Francis created cardinals from 24 nations that had ne'er had 1 before.

"He was calling attraction to places that are overlooked," Gabrielli said. "He was saying, ‘The religion is here, too, and nan religion present has a voice. The religion present should beryllium paid attraction to."

"I deliberation it’s been very significant," he added.

Gabrielli asserts that Pope Francis was playing "a agelong time" pinch nan Catholic Church by expanding its ain broader geographical reach.

"The religion is increasing astir quickly successful Africa, and we don't deliberation astir that arsenic overmuch successful nan Northern Hemisphere," he said. "Resources for nan early of nan religion are successful those places."

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Pope Francis traveled to areas of nan world wherever popes didn't often visit. (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

In 2017, Pope Francis convened a Synodal Assembly, a gathering of bishops, to talk nan Amazon region and ambiance change, which was a attraction during his sovereignty.

"It strikes maine arsenic Pope Francis saying, ‘Hey, this region that is mostly seen arsenic a suppository of resources, immoderate we tin utilization from this awesome lush region, well, there’s a religion operating there. There are group surviving location who we don’t salary overmuch attraction to,’" Gabrielli said.

"That is successful tune pinch his accent connected economical exploitation," he added.

Gabrielli believes Pope Francis’ first words aft his predetermination said to his broader ngo arsenic pontiff.

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Pope Francis died connected April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

"Brothers and sisters, bully evening," Pope Francis said successful his reside to Rome connected March 13, 2013. "You cognize that nan complaint of nan conclave was to springiness a bishop of Rome. It would look that my brothers went to nan extremity of nan world to take him."

Pope Francis, calved Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was nan first pope successful history from nan Global South, hailing from Argentina.

Gabrielli said his remarks, coupled pinch nan meticulous description of cardinals, bespeak Pope Francis’ imagination of nan religion successful each place.

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"The religion successful nan U.S. has had a unusual measurement of reasoning of itself arsenic thing benignant of exceptional," Gabrielli said.

Highlighting a caller attraction connected regions often considered "flyover countries," Gabrielli said Catholics and non-Catholics will spot Pope Francis’ effect done his successor.

"This push to internationalize nan cardinal aliases to sojourn places nan pope wouldn’t usually sojourn is planting seeds location that complete clip will lead to a deeper consciousness of nan world church," Gabrielli said.