By Fr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, OSJ,
One of the most striking marks of the pontificate of Pope Francis was how consistently he defied expectations, not out of impulse, but from a deliberate pastoral vision rooted in the Gospel and the peripheries. Gone were the predictable days when the red (Cardinal) hat was reserved for those occupying the historic and prestigious metropolitan sees.
For decades, under past pontificates, it was almost certain that the archbishops of major Archdiocese like Abuja, Milan, Paris, Rio, Lagos, Manila, would automatically become cardinals. The tradition was so entrenched that if you were the bishop of a lesser-known diocese like Ìjẹ̀bú-Ode in Ogun state or Ekulobia in Anambra, you were likely never to expect a red hat in your lifetime, no matter how faithful or apostolic your ministry.
But Pope Francis came with a different lens.
He shifted the focus from the centre to the margins, from prominence to pastoral presence. And with that shift came a pattern of unexpected choices, such that bishops, and even priests, who embodied the Church’s mission at the grassroots were summoned to the College of Cardinals, bypassing the conventional structures. He made it clear that the red hat is not a reward for career advancement; it is a responsibility laid on the shoulders of those who have proven that they “smell” like their “sheep.”
And perhaps it is this same spirit of surprise that prepared the way for one of the greatest outcomes of all: the election of Pope Leo XIV.
When Bishop Robert Francis Prevost, an American-born missionary working in the slums of Peru, was plucked from the Diocese of Chiclayo and made Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2023, many still did not see it coming. Even more surprising was the fact that he was not elevated to an archbishop, as was customary for such a post. Yet in the same year, Pope Francis created him cardinal, again breaking the mould. And now, in the divine mystery of God’s providence, that same man, formed more by muddy streets than marble halls, sits on the Chair of Peter.
One cannot help but see how Pope Francis’ seemingly random approach to creating cardinals wasn’t random at all. It was prophetic. It was the Church listening to the Holy Spirit beyond the corridors of influence. Thus, by elevating voices that would have otherwise remained unheard, Pope Francis quietly reshaped the conclave itself. And when the time came, the College of Cardinals he had prayerfully configured turned not to the usual suspects or known as “Papabili,” but to the missionary bishop of the slums.
His vision bore fruit. And now, as the Church journeys with Pope Leo XIV, we are reminded that sometimes it takes the courage of one man to break patterns for the sake of the good and the Gospel. Pope Francis was not perfect, but he was undeniably prophetic. His reforms unsettled many, but the poor understood him. His actions often confused the critics, but the Spirit never stopped whispering through them.
Above all, may the soul of Pope Francis, the Pope of many surprises, continue to rest. Amen.
Shalom!
-Culled from the Priest’s Facebook page
