Major Controversies Surrounding Pope Francis: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around Pope Francis—discover key moments of controversy.

Pope Francis is the current head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City. He marks several historical firsts: the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas and Southern Hemisphere, and the first born and raised outside Europe since the 8th century. His papacy is noted for its emphasis on mercy, social justice, and environmental stewardship, as well as efforts to reform the Vatican bureaucracy and address issues such as clerical sexual abuse.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1976: Allegations Regarding Kidnapping of Jesuit Priests

In 1976, during Argentina's Dirty War, Bergoglio faced allegations regarding the Argentine Navy's kidnapping of two Jesuit priests, Orlando Yorio and Franz Jalics. He had feared for their safety and tried to change their work prior to their arrest.

1976: Military Junta's Image in Early 1976

In early 1976, the military junta still had a good image in Argentine society, and the scale of political repression was not yet widely known. Bergoglio would have had little reason to suspect that the detention of Yorio and Jalics could end in their deaths.

1980: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Statement

In 1980, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, stated that Bergoglio may not have had the courage of other priests during the Dirty War but never collaborated with the dictatorship.

1984: Testimony on San Patricio Church Massacre

In 1984, testimony indicated that members of the Argentine Navy perpetrated the San Patricio Church massacre on the orders of Rear Admiral Rubén Chamorro, an event that Cardinal Bergoglio ordered investigated in 2005.

1992: Asked not to live in Jesuit residences

In 1992, Jesuit authorities requested that Bergoglio not live in Jesuit residences due to tensions, concerns about his views, and his role as auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires.

1999: Yorio's Accusation Against Bergoglio

In a 1999 interview, Yorio accused Bergoglio of effectively handing him and Franz Jalics over to the death squads during the Dirty War by declining to endorse their work to the authorities. Yorio believed that Bergoglio did nothing "to free us, in fact just the opposite".

2000: Appointment of McCarrick as Archbishop

In 2000, Pope John Paul II appointed McCarrick as archbishop, accepting the churchman's denials of sexual abuse, despite multiple reports.

2005: Criminal Complaint Filed and Dismissed

In 2005, Myriam Bregman, a human rights lawyer, filed a criminal complaint against Bergoglio, accusing him of involvement in the kidnapping of two Jesuit priests in 1976. The complaint was subsequently dismissed.

2008: Call for National Reconciliation

In 2008, Bergoglio called for national reconciliation during disturbances in Argentina's agricultural regions, which the government interpreted as support for anti-government demonstrators.

2010: Public opposition to same-sex marriage in Argentina

While serving as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio led public opposition to the parliamentary bill on legalizing same-sex marriage in Argentina which was eventually approved by the Argentine Senate in 2010.

2012: Vatican Opinion on the Sisters' Group

In 2012, the Vatican formed the opinion that the sisters' group had some feminist influences, focused too much on ending social and economic injustice and not enough on stopping abortion, and permitted speakers who questioned church doctrine.

2013: Reaffirmed Reform Program for U.S. Leadership Conference of Women Religious

In 2013, Francis initially reaffirmed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's program to reform the U.S. Leadership Conference of Women Religious, which had been initiated under Pope Benedict XVI.

2013: First Long Interview

In 2013, Pope Francis's comments in his first long interview were described by William Saletan as liberal. Francis stated that "God is to be encountered in the world of today" and "God manifests himself in historical revelation, in history".

January 2014: Vatican Bank Reform and Oversight Changes

In January 2014, Pope Francis replaced four of the five cardinal overseers of the Vatican Bank, who had been confirmed in their positions during Benedict XVI's papacy. Lay experts and clerics were assigned to examine the bank's operations, and Ernst von Freyberg was placed in charge. Moneyval indicated the need for further reforms, and Francis expressed willingness to close the bank if reforms proved too challenging.

2014: Reversal of Laicization of Mauro Inzoli

In 2014, Pope Francis reversed the decision to laicize Mauro Inzoli, an Italian priest accused of child sexual abuse, allowing him to remain a priest but removed from public ministry.

2014: Vatican Criticism of Media Coverage

In 2014, the Vatican criticized some Italian news agencies and Agence France-Presse for reporting remarks by Pope Francis as suggestive of acceptance of same-sex marriage or civil unions, stating the remarks were taken out of context.

September 2015: Met with Kim Davis

In September 2015, Pope Francis met with Kim Davis, a county clerk who was jailed for six days for contempt of court for refusing to issue marriage licences for same-sex couples.

2015: Visit to Cuba and criticism

After Pope Francis's visit to Cuba in 2015, Catholic Yale historian Carlos Eire said Francis had a "preferential option for the oppressors" in Cuba.

2015: Criticism for supporting Juan Barros

In 2015, Pope Francis faced criticism for supporting Chilean bishop Juan Barros, who was accused of covering up Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Chile, including crimes committed against minors.

April 2016: Publication of Amoris laetitia

On 8 April 2016, Pope Francis published his second apostolic exhortation, Amoris laetitia, remarking on love within the family, which later gave rise to controversy.

2016: Inzoli Convicted of Sexually Abusing Children

In 2016, Mauro Inzoli was convicted of sexually abusing children in Italian civil court and sentenced to prison.

2016: Creation of Study Commission on the Women's Diaconate

In 2016, Pope Francis initiated dialogue on the possibility of deaconesses by creating a Study Commission on the Women's Diaconate to research the role of female deacons in early Christianity.

2016: Contrasted with Donald Trump

Since 2016, Pope Francis has been contrasted with U.S. president Donald Trump, with some conservative critics drawing comparisons between the two.

2016: Intensified criticism from theological conservatives

Since 2016, criticism against Pope Francis by theological conservatives has intensified.

January 2017: Demand for Resignation of Matthew Festing

In January 2017, Pope Francis demanded the resignation of Matthew Festing, the 79th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

March 2017: Upholding of Father Grassi's Conviction

In March 2017, the Supreme Court of Argentina upheld the conviction and prison sentence against Father Julio César Grassi, a priest convicted of child sexual abuse, despite a 2010 study commissioned by then-Cardinal Bergoglio which concluded Grassi was innocent.

July 2017: "Filial Correction" of Francis

In July 2017, a group of conservative clergy, academics, and laymen signed a document labelled as a "Filial Correction" of Pope Francis, criticizing him for promoting what it described as seven heretical propositions during his pontificate.

September 2017: Admission of Mishandling the Inzoli Case

In September 2017, Pope Francis admitted in unscripted remarks that he mishandled the Mauro Inzoli case, stating that as a new pope, he chose the more benevolent sentence but later learned from his mistake.

October 2017: Response to Catalan Independence Referendum

In October 2017, after the Catalan independence referendum, Pope Francis communicated that the Vatican would not recognize secessionist movements not resulting from decolonization.

2017: Commissioned Vatican investigation into McCarrick

In 2017, Pope Francis commissioned a Vatican investigation after renewed allegations against McCarrick, which found that McCarrick had sexually molested both adults and minors.

July 2018: McCarrick resigned from the College of Cardinals

In July 2018, McCarrick resigned from the College of Cardinals following allegations of sexual misconduct.

August 2018: Criticized for suggesting gay children seek psychiatric treatment

In August 2018, Pope Francis was criticized for suggesting that gay children seek psychiatric treatment.

October 2018: Ordered review of Church's decision-making related to McCarrick

In October 2018, Pope Francis ordered a review of the Church's "institutional knowledge and decision-making" related to McCarrick in response to the allegations of sexual misconduct.

2018: Acknowledged "grave errors" in judgement about Barros

In 2018, Pope Francis acknowledged he had made "grave errors" in judgement about Barros, apologized to the victims and launched a Vatican investigation that resulted in the resignation of three Chilean bishops: Barros, Gonzalo Duarte, and Cristián Caro.

2018: Controversial Rapprochement with China

In 2018, Pope Francis's efforts toward rapprochement with China sparked controversy. Cardinal Joseph Zen criticized the 2018 agreement as a step toward the "annihilation" of the Catholic Church in China, arguing that it "sold out" Chinese Catholics by accepting infringements on religious freedom and undermining the Vatican's spiritual authority.

2018: Vatican Deal with China

In 2018, The Vatican reached a deal with China regarding the appointment of Catholic bishops.

January 2019: Letter criticizing Christmas address

In January 2019, 20 former presidents in Latin America wrote a letter to Pope Francis criticizing his Christmas address regarding the ongoing Venezuelan crisis.

February 2019: Acknowledgment of Abuse and Clergy Sex Abuse Summit

In February 2019, Pope Francis acknowledged sexual abuse of religious sisters by priests and bishops. To address the clergy sex abuse scandal, he convened a summit on clergy sexual abuse in February 2019.

February 2019: Convened a summit on sexual abuse

In February 2019, Pope Francis convened a summit on sexual abuse organized by Hans Zollner.

February 2019: Signing of the Document on Human Fraternity

On February 4, 2019, Pope Francis and Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, signed the "Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together". This statement addressed how different faiths can live peaceably in the same areas. Criticisms focused on the passage about God's will regarding the diversity of religions.

December 2019: Abolished the "pontifical secrecy" privilege in sexual abuse cases

In December 2019, Pope Francis abolished the "pontifical secrecy" privilege in sexual abuse cases.

2019: Defrocked Theodore McCarrick

In 2019, Pope Francis defrocked Theodore McCarrick, a former archbishop of Washington, who maintained a prominent position in the church for decades despite repeated reports of sexual misconduct against him dating back to the 1980s.

2019: Lack of Consensus in First Commission on Women's Diaconate

In 2019, Pope Francis stated that the Study Commission on the Women's Diaconate, created in 2016, was unable to come to a consensus.

2019: Criticism During Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Protests

In 2019, during the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, Pope Francis was criticized for not taking a stand against China's repression. Instead, he was quoted saying, "I would like to go to China. I love China," and compared the protests in Hong Kong to those seen in Chile and France.

April 2020: Empanelment of New Commission to Study Women's Diaconate

In April 2020, Pope Francis empaneled a new commission, led by Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, with a new membership, to study the issue of women deacons.

November 2020: Authorized release of Vatican report on McCarrick's career

In November 2020, Francis authorized the release of the report of the Vatican's two-year investigation into McCarrick's career, which largely faulted Pope John Paul II.

November 2020: Francis Names Uyghur Minority Among Persecuted Peoples

In November 2020, Pope Francis named China's Uyghur minority among a list of the world's persecuted peoples, prompting a response from the Foreign Ministry of China, which claimed his remarks had "no factual basis".

2020: Rupnik preached a Lenten meditation

In 2020, Marko Rupnik preached a Lenten meditation for priests working in the Roman Curia, including Pope Francis and Luis Ladaria Ferrer.

July 2021: Issuance of Traditionis custodes

In July 2021, Pope Francis issued Traditionis custodes, reversing Benedict XVI's decision in Summorum Pontificum and imposing new restrictions on the use of the Traditional Latin Mass. The letter returned to the bishops the power to grant or ban the Latin Mass in their dioceses. Traditionis custodes has been criticized by prelates.

November 2021: Thanked journalists for uncovering child sexual abuse scandals

In November 2021, Pope Francis thanked journalists for their work uncovering child sexual abuse scandals in the church.

2021: Defense of Vatican Dialogue with China

In 2021, Pope Francis defended the Vatican's dialogue with China on the appointment of new bishops, stating that uneasy dialogue was better than no dialogue at all.

January 2022: Private meeting with Pope Francis

In January 2022, after his conviction, Rupnik preached in 2020 a Lenten meditation for priests working in the Roman Curia, including Pope Francis and Luis Ladaria Ferrer, and met privately with Pope Francis.

July 2022: Apostolic Journey to Canada and Apology for Indigenous Abuse

In July 2022, Pope Francis made an apostolic journey to Canada, expressing sorrow, indignation, and shame over the church's abuse of Canadian Indigenous children in residential schools. He apologized for the church's role in 'projects of cultural destruction' and forced assimilation.

November 2022: French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard admitted to abuse

In November 2022, French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard admitted to having sexually abused a 14-year-old girl in the 1980s in Marseille.

November 2022: Vatican Accuses China of Violating Agreement

In November 2022, the Vatican publicly accused China of violating the agreement by installing John Peng Weizhao as an auxiliary bishop without Vatican approval.

2022: Apology for Church's role in "cultural genocide"

In 2022, Pope Francis apologized for the Catholic Church's role in the "cultural genocide" of the Canadian Indigenous peoples, acknowledging the Church's past wrongdoings.

April 2023: China Installs Bishop of Shanghai Without Approval

In April 2023, the Chinese government installed Joseph Shen Bin as bishop of Shanghai without Vatican approval.

December 2023: Issuance of Fiducia supplicans

In December 2023, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, approved by Pope Francis, issued Fiducia supplicans, a declaration to provide clarification and reforms on the Catholic Church's treatment of "irregular relationships", including allowing "spontaneous blessings" of same-sex couples.

2023: Expulsion of Rupnik from the Society of Jesus

In 2023 Marko Rupnik was expelled from the Society of Jesus for disobedience rather than for the abuse allegations and was later incardinated into the Diocese of Koper.

2023: Apparent Rejection of Women Deacons

In interviews in late 2023, Pope Francis appeared to reject the idea of women deacons, saying that 'holy orders is reserved for men.'

January 2024: African Episcopal Conferences Reject Blessings for Same-Sex Couples

On January 11, 2024, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu announced that all episcopal conferences in Africa would reject blessings for same-sex couples, as proposed in Fiducia supplicans. This statement highlights the controversies surrounding the declaration.

November 2024: Suggestion of Genocide Investigation in Gaza

In November 2024, Pope Francis suggested that the international community should investigate whether Israel's campaign in Gaza is a genocide of the Palestinian people.

2024: Vatican and China Renew Agreement

In 2024, The Vatican and the Chinese government renewed their agreement.

2024: Continued Rejection of Women Deacons

In interviews in 2024, Pope Francis appeared to reject the idea of women deacons, saying that 'holy orders is reserved for men.' Francis said that 'the fact that the woman does not access ministerial life is not a deprivation, because her place is much more important' and that women had a charism separate from 'the ministerial way.'

January 2025: Establishment of an independent tribunal

In January 2025, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández confirmed the DDF was working to establish an independent tribunal to move forward with judicial proceedings.

February 2025: Response to US Bishops on Nativism

In February 2025, Pope Francis responded to US bishops regarding nativism, criticizing the focus on solely family, community or national identity as "[introducing] an ideological criterion that distorts social life and imposes the will of the strongest".