IS THE POPE CATHOLIC?

In Roman Catholic history, popes have been conservative or progressive. Pope Francis’s pontificate is different. He does not fit the traditional “right” and “left” categories, although his teaching and actions have often been labeled as disruptive. He has been called “radical,” “heretical,” and even “Protestant.” Ten years after the beginning of his pontificate, this article explores some of the significant influences on his formation and assesses some critiques he has received within Roman Catholic circles. It ends by suggesting that Pope Francis is more “catholic” than “Roman” in the sense that he is more interested in expanding the “catholicity” of Rome (i.e., its inclusivity), as it was envisaged at Vatican II, than in defending its doctrinal-institutional “Roman” markers.