Pope Francis set the Vatican on a path toward tolerance in a changing world | CBC News

When Pope Francis uttered his now-famous "Who am I to judge?" in response to a question about gay priests just months after his 2013 election, it was more than an off-the-cuff remark. It was a declaration of intent. The new pope was broadcasting a shift in tone and priorities: a Catholic Church less focused on judgment and more open to dialogue, inclusion and social justice.

In the earliest days of his papacy, the Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio chose to reside in the modest Vatican guest house instead of the apostolic palace, swapped a chauffeured limo for an economy car and tread in simple black shoes — signalling the Church was under new management. Dogma would no longer dominate the agenda. In its place: compassion, outreach and humility.

Longtime Vatican observers say that along with Francis's radical refocusing of Church priorities came a hierarchical overhaul, one that will leave as lasting a mark as his revisioning of the Church's role in the modern world.

"He turned the Vatican inside out like a sock," sai...
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