A little over a year ago, on April 21, 2025, the Christian world said goodbye to Pope Francis, a shepherd who profoundly marked the Church with his down-to-earth style, love for the poor, and call for ecclesial reform. Now, the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious Men and Women (CLAR) has released a free book titled Legacy of Francis to the Church and to Religious Life, a work that gathers the teachings and spirit of this pontiff, especially designed for those who have consecrated their lives to God's service.
This book is not only a tribute but a tool to keep alive Francis' pastoral, spiritual, and social heritage. It was presented during the World Day of Prayer for Vocations on April 26, 2026, exactly one year after his passing. The initiative brings together 21 authors from various ecclesial and academic fields across Latin America, including laypeople, religious sisters, and priests from congregations such as the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, the Society of Jesus, and the Order of Preachers.
“Pope Francis' leadership was sustained by prayer, listening to the Spirit, and the conviction that the Gospel must once again become the center of ecclesial life,” explains Fr. Israel Arévalo Muñoz, adjunct secretary of CLAR, in the book's introductory pages.
Four Pillars of a Legacy
The book is structured in four sections that address different facets of Francis' ministry. The first, “Spirituality and New Humanism,” explores how the Pope invited us to rediscover an incarnate faith, unafraid of dialogue with the modern world. The second section, “Theological-Pastoral Horizons,” analyzes his contributions to theology and pastoral practice, always with a focus on mercy and inclusion.
The third part, “Francis' Challenges to Religious Life,” is perhaps the most direct for those who have taken vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Here are gathered his calls to leave comfort zones, to be on the peripheries, and to be witnesses of the joy of the Gospel. Finally, “Francis and the Socio-Environmental and Political Challenges of the World” addresses issues such as integral ecology, social justice, and commitment to the most vulnerable, following the line of his encyclical Laudato Si'.
The foreword was written by Cardinal Ángel Rossi, Archbishop of Córdoba, Argentina, considered a “spiritual son” of Francis. In his words, the closeness and affection that the Pontiff cultivated even in his years of formation as a seminarian and Jesuit are reflected.
A Style That Marked the Church
One of the book's most striking aspects is how it describes Francis' style of evangelization. He was not a pope of distant speeches but of concrete gestures: visiting prisoners, washing the feet of the marginalized, embracing the sick. As he himself said, the Church should be a “field hospital” for the wounded of life. This image resonates strongly in the book's pages.
Fr. Arévalo Muñoz notes that Francis promoted a “profound ecclesial reform, from transparency, co-responsibility, and pastoral conversion.” It was not just about changing structures but transforming hearts. His leadership was sustained by prayer and radical trust in the Holy Spirit.
In the Bible we find echoes of this way of shepherding. Jesus himself said, “Whoever wants to be first must be servant of all” (Mark 9:35, NIV). Francis lived that teaching in an exemplary way, and this book invites consecrated persons and every Christian to follow that path.
Why Is This Book Important Today?
At a time when the Church faces new challenges under the leadership of Pope Leo XIV, elected in May 2025, remembering Francis' teachings is not an exercise in nostalgia but a source of inspiration. The book offers a roadmap for religious life in Latin America, a region that Francis always carried in his heart. His legacy reminds us that the Church must be a mother with open arms, a community that goes out to meet others, and a sign of hope in a wounded world.
For those who wish to download the book, CLAR has made it available for free on its official website. It is an invitation to reflect, to pray, and to continue building the Church that Francis dreamed of: poor, missionary, and merciful.
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