Pope Francis

Pope (2013–) — Jorge Mario Bergoglio — first Jesuit Pope, first Pope from the Americas, first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere — who has emphasized mercy, care for the poor and migrants, and environmental stewardship while making few substantive doctrinal changes.

Shifts Catholic public emphasis from sexual ethics to social justice — Francis's papacy has redirected Catholic public communication toward poverty, inequality, and climate (Laudato Si) while maintaining official doctrine on contested sexual ethics questions, producing both enthusiastic liberal support and deep conservative Catholic opposition.