Three lessons we learned from Pope Francis

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REST IN PEACE Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter's Basilica during Easter

Pope Francis has died, but his legacy will live on. Here are three lessons the pope has advocated over the years that we can look back on and dwell on while we mourn for his passing.

Acceptance of minorities 

Pope Francis has always been a vocal figure of acceptance in the church. In 2013, upon being asked about his thoughts on gay priests, Pope Francis famously responded, "Who am I to judge?" Pope Francis also mentioned in a documentary about how we must treat those from the LGBTQ+ community, "Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They're children of God ... Nobody should be thrown out, or be made miserable because of it."

Pope Francis has also called out the oppression of various minorities. As tensions regarding immigrants rise in the US, even in his declining health, the Pope has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration's actions on the matter. In his own words, "What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly."

Live a simple life

It was a shock to many when Pope Francis first made his public appearance upon taking the role. He had a simple outfit on, not wearing the usual garments worn by previous papal figures on their first public appearances. Even early on, he had always envisioned the church as a church for the poor by stating, "How I would love a church that is poor and for the poor." 

Peace above all

During his Easter appearance, Pope Francis called for peace in Ukraine and Gaza. He was always vocal about how war is never the answer. "War itself is a crime against humanity. People need peace. The world needs peace," he once shared during a prayer in January 2024. In a written letter to an Italian publication, Pope Francis once called for disarmament, stating, "War only devastates communities and the environment, without offering solutions to conflicts, diplomacy and international organizations are in need of new vitality and credibility."