There are countless commentaries on Pope Francis’ life and work, most of them celebrating the opus of a remarkable man. What made him so loved by the world, even beyond the Catholic church, was his humanity. He seemed to internalize the Christian understanding of the complexities of the human condition. He embodied unconditional love. He sought understanding among competing groups, religions, political forces, and he countered the entrenched national conceit that corrupts civilization.
From my book Identity:
“In Kenya, Pope Francis asked a stadium filled with young people to stand up and hold hands—a simple gesture. But the deeper message was about the destructive force of tribalism, and the generative force of alignment with all of humanity. Historically, Kenya has had trouble with tribalism, even as recently as a decade ago; but tribalism is not limited to the developing world. It is a world predicament. One of the biggest issues in modern times is not terrorism, as such, but the roots of it: tribalism…Some of the other names are nationalism, chauvinism, xenophobia, and intolerance.”
Pope Francis was a breath of fresh air for the church. Perhaps because he was not entrenched in the close political intrigues of Rome, and instead came from what could be seen as the far reaches, beyond the conspiracies of power politics. He had a deeper connection with ordinary people, especially poor people. He had profound empathy for their struggles and hopes, and realized that the church could be a center of redemption and healing where hardly any had existed before in quite the same way.
The single most awe-inspiring quality that gave him the authority to influence the masses was his simple goodness. He was not naive, nor blind to the difficulties of modern times, but he had the ability to be both part of the world and above it, able to epitomize the most unique expression of love there is.
What can be said about such a man, such a life? Words fail to express the reality of his contribution to the world. He has now entered the grand sweep of history. His impact on millions still felt and appreciated. His legacy now a matter of fact. Time moves on. And he will be missed.
© 2025 Robert Fritz. Photo by Nicky Pe
About the Author:
Robert Fritz is a composer, filmmaker, organizational consultant, and author of numerous books including the international bestseller The Path of Least Resistance, Your Life as Art, The Managerial Moment of Truth, Creating, The Path of Least Resistance for Artists, and Identity.