Pope Francis to complete 10 years as head of Catholic Church

Pope Francis will on Monday (March 13) complete 10 years as the leader of the Catholic Church. Although he has maintained the fundamentals of the faith, he has faced internal resistance after 10 years of change, as reported by the Associated Press.

Jorge Bergoglio, who had just been chosen, quickly sent an image of a different sort of pope when he first stepped on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on March 13, 2013, dressed in simple white papal robes.

The jovial, outgoing Jesuit stood in stark contrast to his quiet, cerebral predecessor Benedict XVI, who astonished the world by stepping down as the firstpope to resign since the Middle Ages.

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Francis also had the plan to overhaul the Church's sluggish leadership, clear up its murky finances, and shift its emphasis externally.

"No more demonisation of homosexuality, debates on extramarital relations or the contraceptive pill... all that has been taken off the table," noted Italian Vaticanist Marco Politi.

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Instead, the 86-year-old pontiff has placed a focus on social justice, inter-religious dialogue, ecology, and refugee rights. He is seldom happier than when surrounded by his flock.

"The pope has engaged the Church on issues that are at the heart of Western democracies, such as the environment, education, law," added Roberto Regoli, professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

When he travelled to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo earlier this year, he was greeted by large crowds, which is evidence of his enduring popularity.

Catholics everywhere will also recall his leadership during the coronavirus outbreak, notably when, in March 2020, he stood by himself in St. Peter's Square during a storm and urged followers to overcome their concerns through faith.

(With inputs from agencies)

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