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A factual account of the path of the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, from Buenos Aires to the Vatican and through the closing years of his papacy

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Italian immigrants Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sivori. He was the eldest of five children. His father worked as an accountant for the railways, and the family belonged to the working-class Catholic population in Argentina. 

Jorge Mario Bergoglio grew up in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires and attended public schools. He studied at the Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen, where he earned a chemical technician’s diploma. After graduation, he worked briefly in a food laboratory. He later recalled doing other jobs, including working as a janitor and briefly as a nightclub bouncer.

In 1958, Bergoglio entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), a Catholic religious order known for its commitment to education, missionary work, and social justice. He studied humanities in Santiago, Chile, then returned to Argentina, earning a licentiate in philosophy at Colegio Máximo de San José in San Miguel. Afterward, he taught literature and psychology at Jesuit schools, including Colegio de la Inmaculada in Santa Fe and Colegio del Salvador in Buenos Aires. From 1967 to 1970, he studied theology at Colegio Máximo in San Miguel in preparation for the priesthood.

Bergoglio was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969, by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano. He made his final vows in the Society of Jesus in 1973 and was named the provincial superior of the Jesuits in Argentina, a position he held until 1979. During this time, Argentina was entering a period of political turmoil, including the Dirty War (1976–1983), during which thousands of people were disappeared by the military regime. Bergoglio’s actions during this period have been scrutinized, although no conclusive evidence of wrongdoing exists.

In 1986, Bergoglio traveled to Germany to begin work on a doctoral dissertation at the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology in Frankfurt. Although he conducted research there, he did not complete the dissertation. After returning to Argentina, he served as a spiritual director and confessor at the Jesuit community in Córdoba, a period he later described as personal reflection and humility.

In 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires, and he was consecrated as a bishop on June 27, 1992. In 1997, he was named coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires, giving him the right of succession. He became archbishop upon the death of Cardinal Antonio Quarracino in 1998.

As archbishop, Bergoglio focused on pastoral care and humility. He avoided the trappings of wealth, choosing to live in a small apartment instead of the episcopal palace, cooking his meals, and using public transportation. In 2001, Pope John Paul II elevated him to the College of Cardinals. As cardinal, he served on several Vatican congregations and councils and was known for his dedication to social justice and the poor.

On March 13, 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the papal conclave elected Bergoglio as the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He chose the name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, marking the first time a pope had taken that name. He was also the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, and the first non-European pope in over 1,200 years.

At the start of his papacy, Pope Francis focused on simplicity, reform, and reaching out to others. He spoke of wanting a “poor Church for the poor,” and often emphasized God’s mercy and the importance of compassion over judgment. He worked to reform the Roman Curia, which is the central administration of the Catholic Church that helps the pope run Church affairs. He also pushed for greater financial transparency in the Vatican. In response to the Church’s sexual abuse crisis, he created commissions to investigate and address the issue, though the impact of these efforts varied depending on the region.

Francis strongly emphasized environmental protection, authoring the 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’, which addressed climate change’s moral and spiritual dimensions and ecological degradation. In it, he called for urgent global action to care for the Earth, describing it as “our common home.”

On matters of interfaith dialogue, Pope Francis met with leaders of various religious traditions, including Islam, Judaism, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. He visited the Holy Land, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and other countries to foster dialogue and mutual understanding among religions. His meeting with Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2016 was the first between a pope and a Russian patriarch in nearly 1,000 years.

Pope Francis also addressed many important issues in today’s world. He spoke out against economic inequality, defended the rights of refugees, and called for peace and dialogue in areas affected by conflict. While upholding traditional Catholic teachings, he encouraged Church leaders to be more understanding and flexible when helping people with complicated personal situations. In 2016, he released Amoris Laetitia (“The Joy of Love”), which focused on family life and relationships. In it, he said that divorced and remarried Catholics could, in some instances, be welcomed back to receive the sacraments after careful personal and pastoral guidance. This approach emphasized compassion and careful decision-making rather than a one-size-fits-all rule.

Pope Francis held numerous synods (Church councils) throughout his papacy, including those focused on the family, young people, and the Amazon region. The 2019 Amazon Synod addressed ecological concerns, indigenous rights, and the shortage of clergy in remote areas. The synodal process became a hallmark of his leadership style, emphasizing consultation and dialogue within the global Church.

Health concerns began to surface during the later years of his pontificate. In 2021, Pope Francis underwent surgery to remove part of his colon due to diverticulitis. He experienced ongoing mobility issues, often using a wheelchair for public appearances starting in 2022. Despite this, he continued his international travel and maintained an active schedule of audiences, masses, and official visits.

Pope Francis repeatedly addressed the sexual abuse crisis, meeting with survivors, publicly apologizing, and implementing new reporting and accountability procedures, including the 2019 Vos estis lux mundi directive. “Vos estis lux mundi is a Latin phrase that translates to “You are the light of the world.” It is taken from the Gospel of Matthew 5:14 in the New Testament.

While progress was acknowledged in some quarters, criticism remained regarding implementation, particularly in various national contexts.

Pope Francis changed how the Vatican manages its money to make things more open and responsible. He created the Secretariat for the Economy, led by Cardinal George Pell, to keep track of the Church’s finances and budgets. In 2020, he introduced a major document called Praedicate Evangelium (“Preach the Gospel”), which took effect in 2022. This new set of rules reorganized how the Vatican works. It focused on spreading the message of the Gospel, serving others, and giving more responsibility to local Church leaders instead of keeping all decisions in Rome.

As Pope Francis entered the second decade of his leadership, he continued to stress the importance of synodality—meaning a Church that listens to its people and moves forward together. In 2021, he launched a multi-year Synod on Synodality, which involved gathering input from bishops, priests, religious, and laypeople around the world. The goal was to reflect on how the Church makes decisions and connects with its members.

In his final years, Pope Francis faced mounting physical challenges but remained mentally alert and spiritually active. He appointed cardinals from diverse regions, signaling a global and inclusive Church. His consistent decisions impacted the composition of future conclaves. By the end of his papacy, he had appointed the majority of voting-age cardinals.

On the international stage, Pope Francis continued to issue appeals for peace in conflict areas, including Ukraine, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. He used diplomatic channels and public messages to advocate for humanitarian efforts and interreligious coexistence.

Pope Francis’s death marked the end of a historic and transformative papacy. He died in Vatican City after a prolonged period of declining health. The Vatican’s official announcement provided the date and time of his passing and outlined his funeral and burial plans. As per tradition, a novendiale— a nine-day period of mourning and liturgical rites— wasobserved.

After Pope Francis died, the sede vacante period— when the papal seat is empty— began. The College of Cardinals gathered to prepare for choosing the next pope. Leaders from around the world, including religious figures and heads of state, honored him for promoting inclusion, caring for the environment, and making changes in the Catholic Church. 

Pope Francis was buried on Saturday, April 26, 2025, following his funeral Mass held at 10:00 AM local time in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City. In accordance with his wishes, he was laid to rest in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, becoming the first pope in over a century not to be interred in St. Peter’s Basilica. This decision reflected his devotion to the Virgin Mary and his desire for a simpler burial.  

Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s life as Pope Francis is one of the significant firsts and substantial reforms. His legacy includes a papacy marked by global outreach, institutional change, and a continuous emphasis on mercy, pastoral care, and dialogue.

Researched and written by the Texas Border Business team. May Pope Francis rest in peace.

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