Desmond Clifford

When Pope Francis died, I was surprised by my level of interest. I had an intensely Catholic early life but haven’t been much in churches for years.

So far as I could tell, Francis was a humble man whose heart was in the right place.

He mistrusted the Vatican civil service (“the Curia”), as any pope should.

He was personally tolerant and merciful and spoke up for immigrants when practically no one else would.

Apparently, he could be irascible, which only made him more human in my eyes.

The part of his mission which was to be a shepherd and lead by example, I think he did very well.

I’m less sure about the institutional side of his mission. His personal support for those marginalised by the Church – women, gays, divorcees – didn’t translate into reform.