The death of a pope is a pivotal moment in world affairs. There are 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, roughly 18% of the total population. The Catholic Church is a presence in every country, providing spiritual leadership and doctrinal guidance in addition to operating vital institutions such as schools, hospitals, and charitable enterprises. The Catholic Church shaped Western civilization, and each utterance from its leader commands the globe’s attention.

This inevitably means church teaching intersects with politics, though the scope and tenor of involvement differ from one pontificate to the next. Pope Francis’s willingness — some would call it eagerness — to interpose himself in political issues made him a lightning rod. In America, his comments on non-doctrinal issues such as climate change and migration drew praise on the Left, which has, especially in the Trump era, claimed Francis as a moral ally.