Photo by Ashwin Vaswani on Unsplash

Pope Francis, who led the Roman Catholic Church for more than 12 years, died April 21. He made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday at  St. Peter’s Basilica. He did not preside over Easter Mass, but he did bless the crowds gathered to celebrate. He continued to appeal for peace in places such as Gaza and Ukraine and made a special prayer for migrants. 

 His death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who said:

"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 favor of the poorest and most marginalized.”

This news comes just weeks after Francis was discharged from the hospital with respiratory complications, which the Vatican described as “serious but stable.” The illness was widely seen as a turning point in his already fragile health. He spent nearly a week at the Gemelli hospital before being discharged, returning to the Vatican with visibly diminished strength.

The pope’s body will be transferred to the basilica on Wednesday morning, allowing for veneration by the faithful in the days following his death.

A Legacy of Change: Women and the Vatican Under Francis

Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis consistently emphasized the importance of including women in leadership, pastoral and decision-making roles within the Catholic Church — though not without controversy or resistance.

One of his most significant structural reforms came in 2022 with the reorganization of the Roman Curia. In a historic shift, Francis separated the authority of church governance from sacramental ordination, allowing non-ordained individuals, including women, to hold high-ranking positions traditionally reserved for clergy. This paved the way for the appointment of women to roles of real influence without changing church teaching on ordination.

Under his leadership, the Vatican saw the appointment of its first female prefect of a dicastery and its first female president of the Vatican City State’s government. By 2024, women were also participating as full, voting members in the Synod on Synodality — marking a dramatic break from precedent, where women could previously only serve as non-voting auditors.

Several women appointed by Francis—including María Lía Zervino, who was named to the Dicastery for Bishops—have been critical of different aspects of the institutional church, voicing calls for broader lay participation and proportional representation.

Francis also codified several lay ministry roles for women, officially opening the positions of lector, acolyte, and catechist. Their formal recognition helped legitimize and support their ministry, especially in underserved regions like the Amazon.

Most recently, Francis also initiated two commissions to study the history and future of women deacons, signaling his openness to dialogue even as he avoided definitive decisions.

Throughout the course of his papacy, Francis’s actions have been met with controversy, as one might expect. Supporters have hailed his efforts as bold and unprecedented in modern Church history, while others viewed them as incremental and incomplete.

As the Church now enters a period of mourning and transition, questions remain about whether Pope Francis’ reforms—particularly around the role of women—will endure. But one thing is certain: the Vatican he leaves behind looks markedly different from the one he inherited in 2013.

What’s Next for the Catholic Church?

With the death of Pope Francis, attention now turns to the selection of his successor. The College of Cardinals, many of whom were appointed by Francis, will gather to elect the next pope in a conclave. The cardinals eligible to vote are largely seen as aligned with the pope’s vision for a more inclusive, synodal Church, though there remains an incredibly wide range of theological and pastoral perspectives among them.

The process of selecting a new pope will be closely watched by Catholics around the world. While no clear frontrunner has emerged, several names have been mentioned as potential candidates. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Italy, known for his work in peace negotiations and interfaith dialogue, and Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg, who played a key role in the Synod, are among those considered likely to shape the future direction of the Church.

The future of Francis' reforms, particularly regarding the role of women, synodality, and interfaith engagement, remains uncertain. While some of these reforms have already been institutionalized, such as the inclusion of women in different leadership roles and the opening of lay ministries, others were left unresolved. The next pope will face the challenge of continuing the trajectory set by Francis while addressing ongoing debates within the Church.

As the world mourns the loss of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church now stands at a crossroads, facing both the legacy of his papacy and the uncertainty of what the future will bring under new leadership.

‍