Whether you are Catholic or not, Pope Francis will be remembered as a significant part of the early 21st century.

Seen as a champion of the poor and downtrodden by many or a non traditionalist by others, Pope Francis’ time as Pope will leave a lasting legacy.

Everything about Pope Francis was unconventional, whether it be his South American heritage or his ascendancy while the previous Pope was still living, his story is not a normal one.

Quite possibly his biggest change from the norm was his opinions on the LGBTQ+ community.

An Associated Press story states: “Francis, who died Monday, ‘was a transformational leader who included LGBTQ people in historic ways,’ said Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of the U.S.-based advocacy group GLAAD, who met twice with the pope. “His principles of empathetic listening, inclusion, and compassion are exactly what this divided world needs right now.”

Many conservative Catholic leaders were wary of his LGBTQ+ outreach — and sometimes were angry and defiant, such as when he decided in 2023 to let priests bless same-sex couples.

The pope’s mixed legacy was epitomized by the Vatican’s 2023 synod bringing together hundreds of bishops and lay people to discuss the church’s future. The advance agenda mentioned LGBTQ+ issues; one of Francis’ hand-picked delegates was the Rev. James Martin, a U.S.-based Jesuit and prominent advocate of greater LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Yet in the final summary o f the three-week synod, there was no mention of LGBTQ+ people — reflecting the influence of conservatives who opposed Francis’ overtures to that community.

During the synod, the pope met with a small delegation from the Maryland-based New Ways Ministry, which advocates on behalf of LGBTQ+ Catholics in the U.S.

According to the group’s executive director, Francis DeBernardo, the pope urged them never to lose hope — a message DeBernardo repeated after being disappointed by the synod’s outcome.

It became clear early in Francis’ papacy that he was going to articulate a gentler, more tolerant approach to LGBTQ+ people than any previous pope. The initial high-profile moment came in 2013 — during the first airborne news conference of his pontificate — with his memorable “Who am I to judge” comment when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest.

Signals had come earlier. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he had favored granting legal protections to same-sex couples. After becoming pope, he went on to minister repeatedly and publicly to the gay and transgender communities, steadily evolving his position. His abiding message: “Everyone, everyone, everyone” — “todos, todos, todos” — is loved by God and should be welcomed in the church.

Whether you agree with his stances on these issues or not, it’s impossible to say that Pope Francis wasn’t notable.

Reports from those in the know indicate that his successor is likely to a more traditional, conservative Pope.

While it is yet to be seen which way the Catholic Church goes, we would like to take a moment to remember Francis and his historic life.