The legacy of Pope Francis

Pope Francis brought a lot of firsts to the Catholic Church. He was the first from Latin America, and under him, the church became increasingly globalized and diverse. He spoke up for LGBTQ rights, for the people of Gaza, and for migrants and refugees around the world. In 2022, he apologized for the Catholic Church's role in Canada's residential school system.

But his death on Monday comes at a complicated time for the church. The Vatican is grappling with the new political direction in the United States, and the college of cardinals is bigger and more diverse than it has ever been.

Massimo Faggioli, a professor of historical theology at Villanova University, breaks down the legacy of Pope Francis and what the future of the Catholic Church could look like under his successor.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts