Faithful attend a mass to commemorate the late Pope Francis at the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in St. Petersburg, Russia, on April 24.Dmitri Lovetsky/The Associated Press

Pope Francis was an incredibly popular pontiff, at least among non-Catholics. The mainstream media lapped up his rebukes of populist right-wing politicians, his critiques of capitalism and his environmental activism. As the most political pope in memory, he was a reliable newsmaker and provocateur right up until the end.

Among Catholics, especially those in the developed world, the first Argentinian pope often evoked mixed feelings. For progressives in the church, he was the reluctant reformer, opening the door to conversations about homosexuality and female priests, only to draw a line when it came to making doctrinal changes.

Yet, to conservative Catholics, Francis was a borderline heretic, spreading ambiguity about the meaning of church teachings to fit his leftist political views. His moves to purge or punish some conservative bishops and ban the traditional Latin mass were interpreted by some as a war on his opponents within the church.

Francis dropped a bomb, in ecclesiastical terms, when, only weeks into his papacy, he suggested an openness to changing church teachings on homosexual conduct, declaring: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” Instead, his comments were to become emblematic of his tenure. He often said things that appeared to move the church in a ve direction without effecting real change.

Last year, Francis authorized bishops to bless........

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