Jason Horowitz

He becomes a beacon on issues like climate change, which he cares deeply about.

He becomes a beacon on issues like climate change, which he cares deeply about.

So on that, on questions of human rights and human dignity.

So on that, on questions of human rights and human dignity.

And he seems very much to be on the forefront of all of this, right? He's not just a spiritual leader stuck in the Vatican. He's a global player. His Twitter account, at Pontifex, ranks in the top five most searched words on the internet. And he's everywhere.

And he seems very much to be on the forefront of all of this, right? He's not just a spiritual leader stuck in the Vatican. He's a global player. His Twitter account, at Pontifex, ranks in the top five most searched words on the internet. And he's everywhere.

It's hard to overstate how big a deal Francis was. I mean, all over the world, everyone felt it, but especially if you were someone covering the Vatican, which had sort of become sleepy and irrelevant in a way to the big discussions going on. All of a sudden,

It's hard to overstate how big a deal Francis was. I mean, all over the world, everyone felt it, but especially if you were someone covering the Vatican, which had sort of become sleepy and irrelevant in a way to the big discussions going on. All of a sudden,

You know, the Roman Catholic Church had a leader who was not just at the table, but in some ways, you know, was sort of dictating the agenda.

You know, the Roman Catholic Church had a leader who was not just at the table, but in some ways, you know, was sort of dictating the agenda.

But while he's sort of getting all this adoration, within the church itself, there starts to be a feeling that, not just of bemusement, but of real concern amongst conservatives, that, wait a minute, is this guy actually going to start changing the rules of the church? And the rules of the church isn't just sort of legislation, right? It's the truth for them.

But while he's sort of getting all this adoration, within the church itself, there starts to be a feeling that, not just of bemusement, but of real concern amongst conservatives, that, wait a minute, is this guy actually going to start changing the rules of the church? And the rules of the church isn't just sort of legislation, right? It's the truth for them.

And so the idea that you would have a pope who is extremely popular using that popularity to change doctrine, what they care most about, starts really causing a lot of fear within conservative circles and a backlash starts building.

And so the idea that you would have a pope who is extremely popular using that popularity to change doctrine, what they care most about, starts really causing a lot of fear within conservative circles and a backlash starts building.

There's a saying in the Vatican that personnel is policy. And one of the first things that Francis starts doing is getting rid of people. And so the guy who is in charge of the office that protects the doctrine, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith it's called, he gets fired.

There's a saying in the Vatican that personnel is policy. And one of the first things that Francis starts doing is getting rid of people. And so the guy who is in charge of the office that protects the doctrine, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith it's called, he gets fired.

There's an American cardinal named Raymond Burke, who's the head of what is essentially the Supreme Court of the Vatican. He's kicked off. All these figures who are sort of the favorite heroes of the traditionalists and the conservatives in the church, the heads start rolling.

There's an American cardinal named Raymond Burke, who's the head of what is essentially the Supreme Court of the Vatican. He's kicked off. All these figures who are sort of the favorite heroes of the traditionalists and the conservatives in the church, the heads start rolling.

It is a bit of a housecleaning is what's going on. And these are figures who, especially in the case of Burke, one of his positions was he was on something called the Congregation of Bishops. And what they do is they pick the next generation of bishops. So that's a big deal, right? Because that means that all the clergy and all the bishops who really run things

It is a bit of a housecleaning is what's going on. And these are figures who, especially in the case of Burke, one of his positions was he was on something called the Congregation of Bishops. And what they do is they pick the next generation of bishops. So that's a big deal, right? Because that means that all the clergy and all the bishops who really run things