Pope Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, was renowned for his progressive approach to leading the Catholic Church, making development issues a core part of his agenda.
The leader of about half the world’s Christians was outspoken on issues of climate justice, economic inequality, and migration. He was, after all, the first pope from the global south — or, at least, the first born outside of Europe for many centuries — having been raised in Argentina by Italian parents who had fled fascism in their homeland.
His approach to development was defined by a radical critique of the global economic system, a belief in the interconnectedness of people and planet, and a drive to empower those at the margins.