Pope Francis had a unique history with Texas. What will his successor do?

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian," the late Pope Francis said in 2016 of then-Presidential candidate Donald Trump. At the time, Francis had just spoken in Juarez, Mexico -- right across the border from El Paso -- to advocate for migrants.

His criticism of America's politicians wasn't one-sided.

“Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants, or be it the one who kills babies,″ Francis said in September while Trump was running against then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

“One should vote, and choose the lesser evil,” he said. “Who is the lesser evil, the woman or man? I don’t know."

Born in Argentina as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Francis was the first Jesuit pope from the western hemisphere. He was known for reforming the church in a politically-progressive way without changing its core doctrines. This often put him at odds with American conservative Catholics.

"American Catholics have become much more distinct (and) a little more conservative over time, and they are looking for a much more conservative pope," University of Texas at Austin Government Professor Eric McDaniel said. "The criticism of Trump probably did not sit well with many Catholics, specifically those who are conservative... and most recently, his interaction with Vice President (J.D.) Vance demonstrates a high level of antagonism. But it's also important to note that he has criticized Biden and Obama. He has not necessarily been supportive of one party over the other."

Francis removed Conservative Texas Bishop

The clash came to a head in 2019, when Francis ordered the removal of Tyler Bishop Joseph Strickland. Strickland had been a vocal critic of Francis on then-Twitter, saying he was "undermining the deposit of faith." He also publicly criticized Francis for holding a meeting about the future of the Church, including how to better welcome LGBTQ+ Catholics.

"The policy the Catholic Church puts forward is a political thing," McDaniel said. "The pope has removed individuals before who've spoken out or taken stances that are contrary to what the pope believes should be done."

After his death, Strickland eulogized the man who stripped him of his Bishop seat in a statement on X.

"While his papacy was marked by moments of ambiguity and confusion that have caused concern among many of the faithful, we entrust all final judgment to the Lord, who alone searches hearts and knows all things," he said in part. "We must always seek to be charitable in our assessments, remembering that clarity and truth are never opposed to mercy."

A man with Texas ties at the top of the church

"When the pope speaks, a lot of people listen," McDaniel said. "The Catholic Church worldwide is over 1.4 billion [people], and if just 20% of those individuals pay attention to what the pope is saying, that is a lot of influence."

While the Catholic world awaits a Papal conclave to determine a new leader, the interim leader of the Catholic Church spent nearly a decade in Texas.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell is the church's camerlengo, a role reserved to handle the transition between Popes. Farrell, who served as the Bishop of Dallas from 2007-2016, will be in charge of facilitating Francis' funeral services and leading the conclave logistically.