Who Was Pope Francis? Early Life, Education, and Career

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, has transformed the face of the Roman Catholic Church since his election in 2013. The first pope from the Western Hemisphere, the first from South America, and the first Jesuit to serve as pope, Francis introduced a new vision and a dedication to humility and reform. Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 on 21st April 2025.

Early Life and Education

Bergoglio's background is the Italian immigrant community of Argentina. Following early studies aimed at becoming a chemical technician, he worked briefly in the food-processing industry. He then discovered a strong vocation for the church. Early life was affected by a health issue, as he developed a bad case of pneumonia at about age 21 and lost part of a lung.

He joined the Jesuit novitiate in 1958, the start of his formal religious education. He then went on to study humanities at the academic level in Santiago, Chile and studied for a licentiate in philosophy in Buenos Aires. Following graduation, he taught literature and psychology at the high school level along with theological studies. Bergoglio was ordained as a priest in 1969 and professed his final vows as a member of the Jesuit order in 1973. He then became superior (leader) of the Argentine Jesuit province from 1973–79.

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Career Before Papacy

His time as leader of the Jesuits in Argentina overlapped with the unstable time of Argentina under military rule after the 1976 coup by General Jorge Rafael Videla. The subsequent "Dirty War" was marked by widespread human rights violations. Although his activities during this period were controversial, Bergoglio asserted that he had protected individuals from the government, even assisting some in escaping the country. During the 1980s, he was a seminary rector and teacher and a graduate student in theology in Germany. His career advanced steadily as he was made an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992, archbishop in 1998, and was finally consecrated a cardinal in 2001.

The Papacy and Key Achievements

The retirement of Pope Benedict XVI in February 2013 set the stage for Bergoglio's election. He took the name Francis about St. Francis of Assisi, living a life of simple service to the poor. He also remembered St. Francis Xavier, a co-founder of the Jesuits.

Pope Francis has since emphasized spiritual renewal, and concern for the poor, and condemned forces that deflect the church from its ministry. He made the unprecedented move of creating a council of eight cardinals to assist him with church policy. His remarks expressing Christ had "redeemed all of us" even non-Catholics were interpreted as gestures of outreach and goodwill.

His papacy has been marked by significant documents such as Laudato si’ (2015), an encyclical that addressed the climate crisis and championed environmental stewardship. 

Despite criticism, Pope Francis has certainly left an indelible imprint on the Catholic Church and the world.

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