When he was elected pope in 2013, Francis was already 76 years old and could be expected to focus primarily on reforming the Roman Curia and travel little. During the conclave, Bergoglio nevertheless insisted on a Church that was certainly less self-centered, humble but also missionary, reaching out to the “peripheries”.
In fact, the pope tried to develop this project both in the Church “ad intra” (internal reforms and change in curial culture in particular) but also “ad extra”, through a globalized pastoral, highlighting and illustrating the major themes of the Pope: concern for the poor, migrants, mobilization in favor of the environment, the importance of dialogue between cultures and between religions as a vector of peace are all subjects that the Holy Father has publicized, through high-speed travel symbolic value.
But these themes constitute so many stumbling blocks with a disorder in the interstate world that the Pope has continued to condemn using formulas that strike the mind: these are, for example, the denunciations of the “globalization of indifference”of the “waste culture” or a “world war in pieces”.
Coming from the “end of the world”, the pope will have adopted throughout his pontificate a North-South reading grid of the contemporary world, embodying in his own way the function of protester of a chaotic world, within which he condemns and contests in particular the multiple forms of Western hegemony.
A new papal diplomacy
Quietly, his “geopastoral” approach transformed papal diplomacy. John Paul II, we remember, in a different historical period, insisted on the role of nations, often opposed to States. Francis, in a context of globalization, speaks of “common house” and invites us to go beyond the usual divisions and find innovative solutions: if he was able to show his attention to national situations (Central African Republic, Sudan, etc.), his pastoral trips are nevertheless above all stagings of global themes, within the framework of a diplomacy of movement, attempting to move acquired positions.
This is his bet with China for example, this was also his message during his trip to Strasbourg in 2014: the Alsatian capital was becoming the symbol of Europe and looking to the future, the Pope proposed a “new deal” between Catholic forces and European leaders around a mobilization for young people, the poor, migrants and the environment, instead of a heritage exaltation of the past achievements of Christianity on the continent: in this translation of symbols, the recent absence for the reopening of Notre-Dame can be read implicitly.
Inclusion of the whole Church
The pontifical trip to Corsica on December 15, 2024, although surprising in its decision-making process, seems to correspond to several usual criteria of this geopastoral ministry. In visiting the Isle of Beauty, Pope Francis highlights a region with a distinct cultural identity and historical challenges, and highlights the importance of inclusion and attention to all parts of the Church.
His participation in a symposium on popular piety appears to reflect the pope’s appreciation for popular expressions of faith. It values popular piety as a vital component of the life of the Church, recognizing its role in a living faith among believers. The visit to Corsica and the promotion of expressions of popular piety on the island are in line with the current orientations of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, and the motu proprio To promote theology (November 1, 2023), apostolic letter in which the pope specifies that theology must “develop in a culture of dialogue and encounter between different traditions and different knowledge, between different Christian denominations and different religions”.
Promotion of the Mediterranean
This visit therefore complements previous trips to the Mediterranean islands (Lampedusa, Lesbos, Malta), and to Marseille, focused on the themes of migration and the reception of refugees (denunciation of the transformation of the Mediterranean into “tomb of dignity”), the promotion of the Mediterranean as a “peace laboratory” but also towards youth and education (importance of giving hope to young people, and overcoming individualism and consumerism).
Finally, his coming reflects an already well-perceived shift away from traditional centers of power, highlighting the importance of diverse regions within the global Church. It aligns with its broader strategy of decentralizing Church activities to foster a more inclusive global presence.
Author’s work to be published: The Vatican. The Papacy Faces a Changing Worldise, Eyrolles, January 2025.