The Pope Who Parent Without Fathering: A Tribute to Pope Francis from a Family Strengthening and Child Protection Advocate

He never married. He never raised a biological child. Yet, he raised the alarm on behalf of millions.

As someone who has spent close to three decades strengthening families, advocating for child safeguarding systems, and mentoring parents and institutions across Africa and beyond, I feel deeply compelled to honour the extraordinary legacy of Pope Francis, a man who has shown the world that biological parenthood is not a prerequisite for purposeful parenting or principled advocacy, an ideology cardinal to our Power Parenting belief.

Pope Francis, the 266th Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, has consistently modelled what I describe as “parenting by purpose and position.” In his role as spiritual father to over 1.3 billion Catholics and a moral compass to the global community, he has fathered a generation of children, through policy, prayer, and prophetic utterance.

A Voice for the Voiceless

From the earliest days of his pontificate, Pope Francis has established himself as a champion for the vulnerable, especially children. Whether speaking on international platforms or addressing local audiences, he continually emphasized that children are not just the future, they are the now, deserving of dignity, love, and safety.

“Children are never a mistake. Their hunger is not a mistake. Their poverty, their vulnerability, their abandonment, none of these are mistakes.” Pope Francis

That single quote has echoed in my spirit for years. As someone who rose from a background of childhood abuse and now raises my first child, a toddler, in my mid-fifties, these words are more than rhetoric. They are an indictment of global neglect and a clarion call to action.

Facing the Pain Within: Confronting Abuse in the Church

 One of the most courageous acts of Pope Francis’ leadership was his unflinching confrontation of child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. He did not turn away from the painful legacy of institutional silence. Instead, he:

• Instituted the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors,
• Called for a culture of zero tolerance,
• Emphasized transparency and accountability,
• And personally, apologized to survivors, calling the abuse a “sacrilegious betrayal.”

In the world of child protection, this level of institutional introspection is rare, but necessary. His commitment to systemic reform, not just apologies, aligns powerfully with the global movement to protect children within faith-based and educational institutions.

Upholding the Value of the Family System

Pope Francis also understands that the family is the first line of defence in child protection. In his landmark apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia (“The Joy of Love”), he offered one of the most insightful treatises on parenting, family unity, and intergenerational love. He reminded us:

• That discipline must be rooted in dignity,
• That presence matters more than perfection,
• That fathers and mothers are not owners but stewards of their children.

This aligns with my belief that families must shift from being a place of power to a place of protection.

Spiritual Fatherhood in Action

What I find most profound is this: Pope Francis has fathered a generation not by biology but by spiritual conviction, empathy, and prophetic responsibility.

To children in war zones, he offered prayers and policy appeals.

To children displaced by poverty, he called for justice and reallocation of resources.

To children abused by silence, he offered apology, accountability, and reform.

And to all of us – parents, institutions, and policy-makers, he issued a reminder: how we treat children is a measure of our humanity.

A Legacy That Transcends the Collar

From my standpoint as a Family Attorney and a Parenting Ideologue, I say this with all sincerity: Pope Francis’ leadership has expanded our definition of fatherhood. He is proof that:

• You can raise children through advocacy.
• You can protect children through policy.
• You can influence parenting without ever being one.

He embodied what I call “systemic parenting”: building the policies, values, and institutions that shape children’s lives long after your voice fades.

So today, I join millions across the world in honouring this man, not just as a religious leader, but as a global parent.

Thank you, Pope Francis, for loving children so deeply, protecting them so fiercely, and reminding the world that in the end, what we do for the least among us is what we do for God Himself (Matthew 25:40).