A Tribute to the First Latin American Pontiff,” a new book from USA TODAY, honors the memories of Pope Francis’ transformative papacy.

The Catholic Church, like all institutions with a legacy spanning millennia, often finds itself at a crossroads where history, tradition and a changing world collide.

Even those who applauded the actions he took during his 12-year papacy said they were just a beginning, and that his successor will need to continue to work toward healing.

Pope Leo XIV indicated on Saturday that his papacy will follow closely in the footsteps of the late Pope Francis, telling church cardinals that they should take up that "precious legacy" and identifying artificial intelligence as a main challenge for working people and "human dignity",

The alternative he offers to the world is integral ecology. Inspired by the teaching of St. Pope Paul VI on “integral human development,” Francis insists on a vision of society in which “everything is connected” — in which species and people and the atmosphere live in an integrated whole, in harmony with God and one another.

The election of a new pope has begun following the death of Pope Francis last month. The secret conclave of 131 Catholic cardinals are locked in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City until a new pontiff is chosen.

The 266th pope built an unexpected economic legacy through bold critiques of capitalism and banking systems. Francis' vision connects faith with finance in ways that challenge how businesses operate in the 21st century.

In a world plagued by inequality and injustice, two influential religious leaders have dedicated their lives to serving the least among us.Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, and John Wesley,