Pope Francis' papacy showered with love and marred by controversy

Vatican's first Latin American pontiff, Pope Francis, died at 88. An announcement from the Vatican numbed the Christian community across the globe. Many of his followers had gathered to pray for the pontiff while his health was not in great shape and he was being treated in the hospital.

An announcement by Cardinal Kevin Farrell read: "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalised. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

Pope Francis' 12-year-long papacy was filled with reforms and global outreach, and with that came some controversies.

Vatican's former ambassador had demanded that the Pope step down in 2018. This came as he was disappointed with the way the pontiff handled the sexual misconduct that involved priests. He was accused of opposing reforms to curb clerical sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults. This is also when nuns were forced to undergo abortion after an assault.

In the case of Chilean Bishop Juan Barros, the Pope was accused of covering up paedophilia accusations and following cases. His stance highlighted the contradictions. He was initially seen defending Barros, but later it was reversed after thorough investigations.

His papacy led to opposition for his views on the LGBTQIA+ community and rights and the debate on priestly celibacy. Pope Francis also faced resistance from conservatives for his view on the role of women in the church.

His statements were sometimes seen as oscillating; the Pope once said, “If a person is gay and seeks the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?“ This showed his liberal mindset. But then, on another occasion, he said, "There is too much homosexuality in the Vatican." 

Laurent Stefanini, a homosexual French diplomat, was not granted permission to enter the Vatican’s Holy See. His stance was ambiguous, as it confused many, for it lacked consistency. He approved of blessings for homosexual people but then refrained from sanctioning same-sex marriages within the church.