Faith · Pope Francis For Subscribers In choosing the name ‘Francis,’ new pope sent a clear message By Religion News Service September 19, 2015 · 11:54 AM EDT · Updated January 16, 2025 12:01 AM · 3 min read read Advertisement Written by Kimberly Winston (RNS) — He could have chosen Paul. Or Clement. Or Pius. Or even Innocent — all earlier popes, all well-known quantities. Written by Kimberly Winston (RNS) — He could have chosen Paul. Or Clement. Or Pius. Or even Innocent — all earlier popes, all well-known quantities.… Advertisement