The Moral Vision of Pope Francis: Expanding the US Reception of the First Jesuit Pope

A thoughtful reflection on how the "Francis revolution" can address the practical concerns of ordinary Catholics on a range of contemporary issues

The papacy of Pope Francis has ushered in remarkable changes for the Roman Catholic Church. From a new emphasis on collegiality in ecclesial governance to a transformed set of public priorities for the global Church, Francis's unique model of pontifical leadership has far-reaching implications for virtually every aspect of Catholic practice. Catholic moral theology-particularly in the United States-has still not grappled fully with the emphases of Francis's pontificate.

To address this lacuna, The Moral Vision of Pope Francis brings together a range of Catholic ethicists to reflect on Pope Francis's implicit approach to moral theology, establishing the unique insights of this first Jesuit pope. This evaluation of Pope Francis's teachings and actions draws out the moral vision animating his work and demonstrates how his moral vision should apply to Catholic ethical reflection on a range of contemporary issues.

The Moral Vision of Pope Francis shows how the "Francis revolution" meaningfully addresses the practical concerns of Catholics in the United States.

Conor M. Kelly is an associate professor in the Department of Theology at Marquette University. He is the author of Racism and Structural Sin: Confronting Injustice with the Eyes of Faith (2023) and The Fullness of Free Time: A Theological Account of Leisure and Recreation in the Moral Life (Georgetown University Press, 2020). Kristin E. Heyer is professor of theological ethics in the Theology Department at Boston College. She is the president of the Catholic Theological Society of America (2023-24) and the author or editor of multiple books, including Christianity and the Law of Migration (2022) and Kinship Across Borders: A Christian Ethic of Immigration (Georgetown University Press, 2012).