In a recent interview with Democracy Now!, Marie Dennis, Director of the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence, offered a moving reflection on the life and legacy of Pope Francis.

She highlighted how, from the very start of his papacy, Pope Francis embodied a radical simplicity and a deep personal commitment to peace, mercy, and nonviolence.

Dennis pointed to his early symbolic gestures, his choice of modest shoes, his residence, and the car he used, as powerful indications of his closeness to the poor and marginalized. Throughout his leadership, she noted, he consistently centered the voices of those on the peripheries: listening to migrants, abuse survivors, LGBTQ individuals, and women, and allowing their lived experiences to inform and reshape the Church’s understanding and practice.

Watch the full interview on Democracy Now!’s website or on X/Twitter.