Pope Francis: The first post-colonial papacy to deliver messages that resonate with Africans

Pope Francis at Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, in February 2023. [Guerchom Ndebo/AFP via Getty Images]

When he was presented to a cheering crowd at St Peter's Square, Vatican City, on 13 March 2013, few people outside Latin America knew much about Jorge Bergoglio.

But a decade later, based on my work as a scholar of Catholicism, I would argue that most Catholics know and love Pope Francis. They also see a deep connection between his message and priorities, and their dreams and hopes for a better church and a world that is reconciled.