Pope Francis: podcast appearances and interviews

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 2013 until his death in 2025. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American pope, and the first pope born or raised outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope Gregory III. Raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to an Italian family, Bergoglio was inspired to join the Jesuits in 1958 following a severe illness. He was ordained a priest in 1969 and served as Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina from 1973 to 1979. He became the archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was created a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II. Elected pope in 2013, he chose the name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. His papacy was characterized by humility, a focus on God's mercy, and a commitment to social issues such as the poor, migrants, and refugees. Francis made efforts to increase inclusivity within the Church, supporting the participation of women and laypeople in Vatican affairs, and showed a more informal style, residing in the Domus Sanctae Marthae rather than the traditional papal apartments. He emphasized environmental issues and critiqued economic systems he viewed as unjust, advocating for climate action, abolition of capital punishment, and humanitarian treatment of migrants. His diplomatic initiatives included restoring US-Cuba relations and negotiating Church appointments in China. Additionally, he addressed historical injustices such as the Canadian Indian residential school system. His leadership integrated spiritual, social, and global concerns, shaping a distinctive era for the Catholic Church.