Pope Francis & St. Francis of Assisi: Earth Element

Sherri A. Nicholas Author

When you think about leaders who care, nurture and protect, the “Earth element” has the steadiness, compassionate, and grounding the world needs.

Learning about the Earth Element through a quick look at St. Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis. 

How have the qualities of the Earth Element shown up through the ages?

Pope Francis has led the Catholic Church through a decade, focusing on addressing issues with the LGBTQ+ communities and grappling with long-standing sexual abuse scandals.

Let’s see how much Pope Francis' approach mirrored St. Francis of Assisi, as depicted in the film "Brother Sun, Sister Moon."

"Start by doing what is necessary; then do what is possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

— Saint Francis of Assisi

I've watched "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" numerous times as teen and young adult. Having been raised Catholic, attended 12 years of Catholic School, played guitar at the folk mass for over a decade, and served in various capacities in the Catholic Youth Organization well into my mid-twenties, looking back I understand I walked the path of the Earth Element, even before I fully understood what the exactly mean. 

Throughout high school, I struggled to see my future self, feeling disconnected from the interests of my peers and seeing limited paths for myself moving forward.

After college, I joined the Felician Sisters, spending weekends at their motherhouse convent in North Jersey. During this time, I continued to grappled with my purpose and the realization that there were other paths available to me.

I officially entered the order on St. Francis Day, October 4, 1986, but after 19 days, overwhelmed by the feeling that it wasn't my path, I left. This experience taught me that I didn’t need to join a religious order to serve or be part of a community.


This journey ties back to Pope Francis and St. Francis. The order's devotion to St. Francis and my exposure to the Franciscan Way from grammar school gave me a "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" understanding, which I was reminded of by observing Pope Francis over the years. His choice of the name "Francis" seemed particularly significant after revisiting scenes from that film.

Post-convent, I also came out of the proverbial closet. The 1980s were a challenging time for gay community, with societal and religious divisions deepening amidst the HIV/AIDS crisis. 


This clip Is a powerful scene with an Earthy Francis meeting with a very suppressed Fire Pope Innocent III. The pope kisses Francis' feet and is immediately retracted back to his pope-ly position.

Francis reminds him of the meaning of compassion in action.

St Francis Before the Pope - Clip 2 of 2 

Compassion and Inclusion for LGBTQ+ Individuals

I watched Pope Francis shift the tone of the Catholic Church toward LGBTQ+ people. Instead of using judgment, he chose compassion. I wondered if he was the pope in the 80's would I have grown stronger within myself having religion and society challenged by a Pope's words and actions.

His statement, “Who am I to judge?”, flipped the script, the Church was talking about inclusion, not exclusion.

Pope Francis has condemned the criminalization of homosexuality, urging bishops to reflect and “convert,” and he encouraged families to support LGBTQ+ children rather than cast them out. These actions echoed the Earth element: accepting, and building a stable, loving place within the church.

Would my mother have talked to me the two years after I came out if the pope was Francis in the 80's. Would the acceptance of my own identity have been different if Pope Francis' perspective had been present in the media?

Hiding who you are starts when you're young - and you don't even know you're hiding.

After the pope passed there were so many montage of videos displaying his Earthy interactions over the last decade. This video was one I felt showed his compassionate Earth, playful Water and spontaneous Fire Elements. 

Top Historic Moments Of Pope Francis’ Dramatic Papacy

Humility and Simplicity—From St. Francis to Pope Francis

St. Francis of Assisi gave up wealth to serve the poor, choosing a life of humility and rebuilding the Church literally with his own hands. 

Pope Francis follows this path: he lived simply, choosing a modest guesthouse instead of the papal palace.

 Short clip from the film The Two Popes: A Hilarious Misunderstanding Between Two Popes

By being close to ordinary people, the Francis' reminds us that leadership is about service, not power.

Care for Creation

Pope Francis and St. Francis of Assisi are examples of an "Earth Element" leadership—embodying humility, empathy, and a commitment to service rather than power. Their approach to leadership through caring for the marginalized, advocating for peace, and championing environmental issues serves as a model.

It's About Time ( Full Lyrics Below)

This is probably one of my favorite songs by John Denver. Many songs have the qualities of the Five Elements. This one feeling like a message from the Earth Element.

"Time we start to see it the Earth is our only home
It's about time we start to face it we can't make it here all alone"

John Denver - (1991)

Champions of the Marginalized and Advocating Peace

St. Francis cared for lepers and the poor, seeing their dignity when others turned away. Pope Francis is often found comforting refugees, visiting prisons, and speaking up for the excluded. He’s also stepped onto the world stage as a peacemaker, helping to reconcile nations and calling for dialogue in war zones. 

This can be seen as Earth in action—building bridges, healing rifts, and making space for everyone.

Short clip from the film The Two Popes: Jesus Didn't Build Walls

"Earth Element” Leader

Through their humility, empathy, and grounded leadership, St. Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis had what it meant to be “Earth Element” leaders. Both men had chosen the path of love and healing over judgment and exclusion. It’s a modeling the world can learn from.

Some say it's rare to see Earth Element males in the public eye. I hope I have given enough public examples through the Francis' to identify the Earth Elements in your life.

“If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge?”

—Pope Francis (2013)

What's Pope Leo XIV element going to be? He joined an Augustinian order that emphasizes the pursuit of truth, intellectual inquiry, but with passionate vision driven by ideals. Traits that can be representing of the Fire Element.

Pope Leo's attraction to a  community order reflects his Earthy side, so maybe he will continue on Pope Francis' pathway. 

Pope Francis was a Jesuit priest, which can have an  association with visionaries, strategists, and those who seek to create change and growth, which is very Wood Element. The Jesuits' emphasis on education, missionary work, intellectual rigor, and social justice aligns with the qualities of this element.

I can see how these two men choosing community and service with emphasis on intellectual, justice and visionary pursuit set them up as leaders for the 21st century.

Reference 

Thumbnail Picture of Pope Francis; 2014 Pastoral Visit of Pope Francis to Korea Closing Mass for Asian Youth Day August 17, 2014 Haemi Castle, Seosan-si, Chungcheongnam-  

By Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (Photographer name), CC BY-SA 2.0,

Pope Francis Wikipedia

The Two Popes (On Amazon Prime) 

The Five Elements Model

The Five Elements of Relationships

Brother Sun, Sister Moon - Trailer

It's About Time

There's a full moon over India and Gandhi lives again
Who's to say you have to lose for someone else to win
In the eyes of all the people the look is much the same
For the first is just the last one when you play a deadly gameIt's about time we realize it we're all in this together

It's about time we find out it's all of us or none
It's about time we recognize it these changes in the weather
It's about time, it's about changes and it's about time

There's a light in the Vatican window for all the world to see
And a voice cries in the wilderness and sometimes he speaks for me
I suppose I love him most of all when he kneels to kiss the land
With his lips upon our Mother's breast he makes his strongest standIt's about time we start to see it the Earth is our only home
It's about time we start to face it we can't make it here all alone
It's about time we start to listen to the voices in the wind
It's about time, it's about changes and it's about time

There's a man who is my brother, I just don't know his name
But I know his home and family because I know we feel the same
And it hurts me when he's hungry and when his children cry
I too am a father and that little one is mineIt's about time we begin to turn the world around

It's about time we start to make it the dream we've always known
It's about time we start to live the family of man
It's about time, it's about changes and it's about time
It's about peace and it's about plenty and it's about time
It's about you and me together and it's about time.

Words by John Denver, music by John Denver and Glen D Hardin 

Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Glen Hardin / John Denver It's About Time lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc

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