Pope Francis marks his fifth anniversary as Pope on Tuesday, March 13.
The Associated Press
VATICAN CITY - The humble empathy and the ease with which he walks in others' shoes has won Pope Francis admirers around the globe and confirmed his place as a consummate champion of the poor and disenfranchised.
But as he marks the fifth anniversary of his election Tuesday and looks ahead to an already troubled 2018, Francis faces criticism for both the merciful causes he has embraced and the ones he has neglected. With women and sex abuse topping the latter list, a consensus view is forming that history's first Latin American pope is perhaps a victim of unrealistic expectations and his own culture.
Nevertheless, Francis' first five years have been a dizzying introduction to a new kind of pope, one who prizes straight talk over theology and mercy over morals.
FILE - In tis Sept. 24, 2015 file photo, Pope Francis listens to applause before addressing a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, making history as the first pontiff to do so. Pope Francisâ humble sense of empathy him admirers around the globe but as he marks his 5th anniversary Tuesday, March 13, 2018, criticism is growing for the merciful causes he has embraced, and those he has neglected. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, file)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this April 16, 2016 file photo, Pope Francis, center, flanked by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, left, and Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos II, head of the Church of Greece, meet migrants at the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. Pope Francisâ humble sense of empathy him admirers around the globe but as he marks his 5th anniversary Tuesday, March 13, 2018, criticism is growing for the merciful causes he has embraced, and those he has neglected. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, file)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this March 25, 2017 file photo Pope Francis arrives at Milan's San Vittore penitentiary as part of his one-day pastoral visit to Monza and Milan, Italy's second-largest city. Pope Francisâ humble sense of empathy him admirers around the globe but as he marks his 5th anniversary Tuesday, March 13, 2018, criticism is growing for the merciful causes he has embraced, and those he has neglected. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, files)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Dec. 1, 2017 file photo, Pope Francis meets Rohingya Muslim refugees at an interfaith peace meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Pope Francisâ humble sense of empathy him admirers around the globe but as he marks his 5th anniversary Tuesday, March 13, 2018, criticism is growing for the merciful causes he has embraced, and those he has neglected. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi, file)
The Associated Press