Digest opened free editor

Rola Khaleda, FT editor, chooses her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.

It was a sign of humanity that described the papacy in which Pope Francis appeared in public places to hand over the blessings of Easter and a tour in Saint Peter’s Square when his voice and body were clearly failing – less than 24 hours before his death. Just weeks after approaching death in the hospital with double pneumonia, the Pope managed to end his ministry as it started: among people. Catholics and many non -Catholics Mourning will A merciful reformer tried to update his church, even if the results were less than what his most advanced supporters were hoping.

His humility and design was to be a voice for the poor and the marginalized one of the many things Mark From many wires. He chose the first non -European Pope for more than 1000 years, and the first of the Americas, to live not in the luxurious papacy apartment but in the guesthouse in the Vatican consisting of two rooms. Not for nothing, the name of St. Francis of Assisi, known for his humility.

While Francis did not change a doctrine on the issues of sexual activity, faith and marriage, he changed the tone and the language of discussion to emphasize the need for tolerance and understanding. His early comment in response to a question about the presence of gay priests in the church, “Who am I to rule?” Opening the way to agree to the informal blessings of couples of the same sex. Its promotion for the year 2016, I love happinessIt raised the possibility of allowing some divorced Catholics and married to receive the company. After a global consultation, Francis launched with the believers – the dissatisfaction of the traditionalists – the final document recommended expanding the role of women and people in the church.

In the church that struggles for importance in the modern world, Francis also tried to make it more than a moral voice on issues outside the family and the bedroom. In the 2015 Encyclopedia, he sought to redefine climate change in terms of religion and faith, and warned that the product of the world’s advanced addiction to consumption, with an inappropriate influence on the poor in the world. He made explicit interventions to support immigrants, amid the hardening of American and European positions against irregular migration, and talked about his ordeal on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

However, in the end, Francis failed to translate his personal magnets into reforms that transformed major questions such as the coordination of married women or priests, or who arrested the retreat of the church in Europe and North America. He committed some errors of the ruling on individuals, including some of those accused of serious crimes such as Financial behavior Or sexual assault in the church – some will feel that some will feel that he has not done enough to rest. He also left the church facing large financial strains that need to be addressed.

The Pope managed to disturb both liberals, by failing to make a decisive change, and the conservatives who have been accused of them to undermine traditional teachings. These divisions will be transferred to what is specific A competition for his background. The Catholic Church today is increasingly leading, in terms of membership, one of the global south, and the Cardinals will face pressure to elect the Pope from outside Europe, and one sensitive to poverty and environment issues. However, many church leaders and followers, from the global south, are also socially conservative-unlike some of the most liberal followers in the wealthy countries.

The next Pope, whatever his background or talent, may find that it is a little easier to solve the deep questions facing Catholicism. But Pope Francis should be remembered to advance the update that he made and try to live in the teachings of the Bible on the side of the needy and the oppressed. Perhaps his personal example was his strongest legacy.