The late Pope is being remembered for his groundbreaking efforts to promote cultural diversity within the Catholic Church, including the historic appointment of the first Cardinal from Tonga in the Pacific.
For centuries, the highest positions in the Church, including the College of Cardinals, were dominated by European clergy—a tradition that began to shift under his leadership.
Dr Felise Tāvō, a Tongan scholar and former priest, reflected on the significance of the late Pontiff’s legacy. “It was remarkable to witness a Pope who was not only the first non-European in modern times but also the first from the Americas to diversify the Church’s leadership actively,” Dr Tāvō said.
“His appointments, including the first Tongan Cardinal, signalled a bold step toward inclusivity.”
The late Pope’s decision to elevate clergy from underrepresented regions was seen as a move to better reflect the global nature of Catholicism.
The appointment of Cardinal Soane Patita Paini Mafi of Tonga in 2015 was a historic milestone, marking a new era for Pacific representation in the Vatican.
“I was moved by the Pope’s way of trying to balance out the church,” Dr. Tavo added. “For many centuries, the top positions in the church were dominated by the Europeans.”
As the Catholic Church mourns his passing, many are honouring his legacy of broadening the Church’s cultural horizons—a shift that continues to inspire faithful around the world.
In 2021, Vatican News reported that the Pope underlined that “the presence of Faith and Light was and is a prophecy,” because often the most fragile people are discarded and considered useless.
He added that this prophecy is “even more important today, to combat the culture of discarding and to remind everyone that diversity is a richness and must never become a reason for exclusion and discrimination.”
One of Pope Francis’ milestones in the Church was his appointment of Sr. Simona Brambilla, an Italian-born religious sister from the Consolata Missionaries, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, with Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime serving as Pro-Prefect.
In Tonga, Cardinal Mafi was en route to Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral when he gave an interview to Taumu’a Lelei, the Catholic newspaper.
He was asked to comment on the fact that despite all the good work of the Holy Father, he faced opposition from some Cardinals and conservatives who vigorously defend Church doctrines, particularly regarding groups like homosexuals.
The Cardinal noted this tension was unsurprising: “There have always been two wings in the Church. One strives to keep the Church’s teachings and doctrines grounded, while the other represents the pastoral side that walks in alignment with the changing world and its waves. These two wings necessarily coexist”.
