Francis' pontificate has been a time of renewal and hope for the Church. Since his election on March 13, 2013, his message has deeply touched the hearts of millions of people, especially the poorest and those who seek a Church committed to reality. His simple style, his option for the discarded and his insistence on a Church on the way out have marked his path with unmistakable clarity.
Since Rome, Francis has never ceased to keep Argentina in mind. He has done so with concrete gestures that have resonated strongly in his native country, even when his physical absence has been the object of speculation and self-interested criticism. His view of the homeland has not been that of a political leader nor that of a sectorial leader, but that of a pastor who embraces with realism and hope the pains and challenges of his people. In every visit of Argentines to Rome, the sincere affection for a Pope who has never ceased to feel that he is a son of this land has been perceived.
However, in his own country, his figure has been the object of distortions and attacks. Not only have some media tried to blur his magisterium with tendentious readings and misrepresentations, but even sectors claiming to be Catholic have contributed to the propagation of lies about him. These operations of attrition have tried to undermine his teaching and to generate a distorted image of the Pope. Despite these attempts, Francis has remained firm in his commitment to the Gospel and to a Church that walks with the people.
The media have played a key role in shaping the Pope's public image in his country. On more than one occasion, his words have been taken out of context or interpreted in a biased manner, creating a distorted perception of his pontificate.
In spite of this, the magisterium of Francis is a beacon of clarity and coherence. His insistence on a Church going forth, on a preferential option for the poor, on an integral ecology and on the construction of peace as an evangelical imperative, have marked his pontificate with indisputable clarity. Rooted in the best tradition of the Latin American magisterium, Francis has taken up and updated the prophetic voice of Medellin, Puebla and Aparecida, bringing to the world the richness of a theology born of the encounter with the most humble. Throughout these years, his encyclicals and exhortations have offered a compass in times of global uncertainty, sustaining a prophetic gaze that challenges both believers and those who do not share the faith, but do share a sincere concern for the common good.
Another key aspect of his pontificate has been his apostolic journeys. Francis has taken his message to the most forgotten corners of the world, prioritizing both geographic and existential peripheries. His presence in places like Lampedusa, Iraq, South Sudan and Myanmar has been a living testimony of his commitment to the discarded. In Latin America, his time in Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, Chile and Peru has reaffirmed his closeness to the peoples of the region and his call for a Church on the move, ready to listen and accompany. His visit to Iraq in 2021 marked a historic milestone, bringing a message of reconciliation and interreligious dialogue to a land marked by war and persecution. Likewise, his trip to South Sudan together with Christian leaders of other confessions was an unprecedented gesture of unity and peace in a nation torn apart by violence.
These trips were not mere protocol visits, but true prophetic acts that placed the Church at the side of the most vulnerable. In each country visited, his message encouraged hope, promoted justice and gave voice to those who are often ignored. His closeness to the native peoples in the Amazon, his denunciation of exploitation and modern colonialism, and his constant defense of migrants reflect his preferential option for the last.
Pope Francis has maintained a faithful relationship with his people, not from complacency, but from a demanding love that invites them to grow. His witness has been uncomfortable for those who prefer a Church that is silent or functional to certain interests. But his word continues to live, his teaching continues to nourish and his presence, although distant in geography, continues to be close in the hearts of those who know how to read beyond the ephemeral headlines.
Twelve years after that "pray for me" pronounced from the balcony of St. Peter's, the Church in Argentina is called to rediscover the legacy of Francis with a broader and deeper vision. It is not only a matter of evaluating his impact from the perspective of power or political situations, but of recognizing the fruitfulness of a pontificate that has been able to keep alive the joy of the Gospel, even in the midst of challenges and resistance. His invitation to be a Church that goes forth continues to be valid, as a call to go out to meet the discarded, to heal wounds and to witness with coherence to the Good News.
Priest. Director of the Communication Office of the Argentine Episcopal Conference.
