Why does Pope Francis capture the imagination of vast audiences across the globe as he travels to different parts of the world? Why do the statements he makes leave a deep and lasting impression in the minds and hearts of millions if not billions of people?

 Pope Francis announced Monday he will make his first visit to Africa later this year with stops in Uganda and the restive Central African Republic.

He doesn’t soft-peddle his approach. In another airplane press conference on an apostolic journey abroad, Francis called out anyone who commits violence in the name of religion. And while he emphasized the importance of free expression, he admitted it necessarily has limits.

The Argentine Jesuit’s first 6 overseas trips reflect not just Francis’ distinction as the first pope from the developing world, but also a constant theme of his papacy: reaching out to the world’s “peripheries” or “fringes,” meaning his favorite type of people: the poor and the vulnerable.

Performing as facilitator of dialogue and negotiation between Obama and Castro has positioned the Pope once more as a political leader and as a representative of Faith Diplomacy efforts in world politics.