He dadthat in his first speech he pointed out the idea of a “Poor church for the poor”since then has focused all its efforts on reforming the Holy See to make it more transparent and effective.
Now, at 88 years old and with health problems, Uncertainty lies in knowing if it will leave the hospital with the necessary forces to continue in office or yes, in any case, the Next Pope It will maintain a reforming mentality or return to conservatism.
Before being admitted to the hospital on February 14, the Pope had promoted one of the objectives of his pontificate: a greater presence of women in church and with greater positions of power.
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In addition, he appointed the religious Raffaella Petrini as the First woman president of the Government of the State of the city of the Vatican, The body exercised by the Executive Power at the Holy See, of which he was already general secretary. Even when she was appointed secretary of the Interior, in 2021, she was the first woman to assume that position.
A few weeks before, Francisco appointed the religious Simona Brambilla Prefect (Minister) for the Dicasteria of the Institutes of Consecrated Life: the first woman responsible for a dicas supplies, something until then generally reserved to Cardinals.
Economic reform
In these 12 years, one of the Pope’s achievements has been the Total reform of the management of the Vatican coffers, Object in the past of enormous irregularities, as has been proven in different judgments, including the one that condemned Cardinal Angelo Becciu, former substitute for the Secretary of State.
With the Creation of the Ministry of Economywhich manages all the real estate heritage and also the funds that were previously available to the Secretary of State, the Pope has given transparency and above all control to the accounts, which are finally also public. In addition to Approve measures for the lowest expenditure of the cardinals and create a commission to search for funds before the donations.
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The fight against abuse
Upon his arrival at the “Throne of Pedro”, the Argentine Pontiff was clear Minorsto which he recently demanded a Annual report on how the battle against abuse proceeds.
In these years he has also carried out dozens of legislative interventions and even Eliminated the Pontifical Secret In these cases and forced the dioceses of each country to take care, something that, however, is failing, because not all of the Church has taken obligations such as creating centers for the attention to victims.
While in the Vatican still lacks speed and transparency to inform about the cases of abuse and the sentences of the priests involved.
A less ‘Italian’ church
For almost nine years, the Pope and a commission formed by nine cardinals worked for the promulgation of the new Constitution “Praedicate Evangelium” (preach the Gospel) that reforms the Vatican Administration and its different dicasterios (ministries).
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Francisco, in addition, has left his legacy with the choice of 80 % of the cardinals who will choose the new pontiff, to the Fully change the geographical distribution of the Cardenalicio College With many more representatives from distant countries, Asia and Africa, who did not find space in the Sistine Chapel, and a lower representation in Europe and Italy.
Although this It does not mean that the next conclave is related to the ideas of Jorge Bergoglio. The opposition that will take the floor in the next conclave
All these changes, such as giving the blessing to homosexual couples, have caused that in these 12 years resistances have been unleashed and that the most ultraconservative area of the Catholic Church showed without any repair their opposition to any decision of the Pontiff.
This wing could take the floor during the conclave to stop the reforms and go back in some issues by choosing a less active Pope or a transition pontiff.