Pope Francis has passed away at the age of 88. A reformer, a bridge-builder and a man of deep compassion, his leadership often challenged tradition while inviting the faithful - even the doubtful - closer to the heart of the church. KUAM spoke with local leaders of the faith about the legacy the beloved pope leaves behind.

Here in Guam, where Catholicism runs deep, Pope Francis was seen not as a distant figure in Rome, but as a shepherd who walked with his flock, wherever they were. In life and now in memory, he reminded many that faith isn't about perfection - it's about compassion. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina in 1936, he grew up the son of Italian immigrants.

In 1958, he joined the jesuit order and was ordained a priest in 1969. By 1998, he became the archbishop of Buenos Aires.

In March 2013, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, he was elected the 266th pope of the Catholic Church, becoming the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to take the name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi.

While many have prepared for this moment, Father Paul Gofigan says it’s still staggering. “Given the state of his health these past few months, we were sort of prepared for it, but we didn’t think it would come this quickly," he shared.

He says Pope Francis was a pastoral pope, known not for changing church doctrine, but for changing its tone. “He still hangs on to the teachings of the church and a lot of people don’t realize that. He didn’t come here to change the whole church and church doctrine. He really was very pastoral," the priest commented.

And it was that pastoral spirit that led Pope Francis to make headlines with his now-famous words, as Father Gofigan said, “His message was ‘Who am I to judge?’. I think that resonated in the ears of a lot of the faithful.”

“Wanting to repent, have that change of heart, to change for the better, to change back to God, to turn away from sin. I think that was the message of the Pope."

Pope Francis also spoke boldly on global inequality, protested violence and war, championed the environment, and worked to repair relationships between religious communities. He called on the church to be less judgmental, more welcoming, and act as “a field hospital after battle.”

“We will miss Pope Francis," Father Gofigan added, "we will go into mourning, but we must pray that the Holy Spirit will work through the cardinals who will be electing a new pope...we pray that he will be just as great as Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis.”

“Someone who really reaches out in three areas: evangelical, theological doctrine, and pastoral.”

Pope Francis never claimed to be a saint, only a servant.  And while he's gone, the echoes of his papacy - his push for dialogue, his heart for the poor, and his call for a more merciful church - will continue to reach the pews.

Requiem mass will be held in remembrance of the late Holy Father on April 24th at 6pm at the Dulce Nombre De Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagatna.