Pope Francis Dies at 88: What It Means for Global Catholics
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The Legacy of Pope Francis, Cause of Death, and Ghana’s Turkson in the Papal Succession Race
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected the 266th pontiff in March 2013 and became the first Latin American to lead the Catholic Church. Over twelve years, he earned acclaim for urging greater humility among clergy and amplifying the voices of the poor and marginalized, while also courting controversy for his stances on issues like climate change and pastoral flexibility.
His papacy emphasized social justice, dialogue with other faiths, and environmental stewardship, most notably through his 2015 encyclical Laudato si’, which called for urgent global action on climate change. He also streamlined Vatican finances and expanded roles for laypeople and women in church governance.
On Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7:35 a.m. CEST, Francis suffered a cerebral stroke that led to irreversible cardiac arrest, compounded by recent treatment for pneumonia, hypertension and diabetes, and passed away peacefully at his residence in Vatican City .
His death, the first papal passing in office since John Paul II in 2005, plunged the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics into mourning and opened a period of sede vacante. World leaders and faith communities have highlighted his bridge-building legacy, even as they prepare for a conclave to choose his successor.
Attention now turns to the “papabili” among them, Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, the Philippines’ Luis Tagle and Italy’s Pietro Parolin. Turkson, 76, is admired for his work on justice and climate issues and would, if elected, mark a historic African papacy.
For Ghanaians, Turkson’s prominence carries deep pride. His candidacy underscores Africa’s rapidly growing Catholic population and the continent’s increasing clout within the Church. While Vatican insiders caution that traditional European alliances remain influential, many in Ghana see in Turkson a bridge between Francis’s progressive vision and the needs of developing nations.
Sources: Vatican News, Reuters, Wikipedia