"Encounter" is the one word that sums up Pope Francis and his mission in 2014, according to Vatican Press Secretary Father Federico Lombardi.
In thousands of formal and informal audiences this year, the Holy Father met with the powerful and the weak, the old and the young, Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
Here's my list of Francis' Top 10 Encounters from the past 12 months:
Engaged couples: For Valentine's Day, Pope Francis gave love lessons to an estimated 25,000 betrothed couples in St. Peter's Square. In answer to one couple's question, the pope explains why they shouldn't fear a "forever" commitment.
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople: Fifty years after their predecessors met to break a 500 year silence between the Catholic and Orthodox churches, Francis and Bartholomew I continued the trend of reconciliation post-schism with a meeting in Jerusalem.
The poor: Francis took part in a meeting dedicated to Italy's poor and homeless in June. His advice: Don't distinguish between the person helping and the person being helped, as they are often interchangeable. He also installed showers in St. Peter's Square to help the homeless.
The Mafia: Not everyone is on the pope's "nice" list. Francis excommunicated members of Italy's Ndrengheta, a powerful organized crime group, announcing his strong condemnation of their tactics on a visit to southern Italy over the summer.
People with disabilities: Francis stopped his motorcade in the middle of an Italian road to kiss a disabled girl named Roberta, whose family had waited for him to pass by. The family posted the video online, where millions more people enjoyed the tender moment.
Asia: Francis' apostolic journey to Asian Youth Day in South Korea this summer was his first visit to the continent of Asia and the first time a pontiff had attended the gathering. He took the opportunity to ride in a Kia - and make a push for expanded ties between the Vatican and North Korea, Vietnam and China.
Argentinian soccer players: An avid soccer fan, the pope got together more than once this year with his native land's sports heroes like famed forward Lionel Messi. His Buenos Aires team San Lorenzo came to the Vatican to show Francis its trophy from the Copa Libertadora. Francis insisted his prayers would remain neutral, but the Argentinians' athletic success may indicate otherwise.
Istanbul's Grand Mufti: In a public display of his commitment to inter-religious encounter, Francis prayed silently alongside a senior Islamic cleric on his visit to Turkey in November.
President Barack Obama and Raul Castro: Francis personally wrote to both the American and Cuban presidents and hosted a negotiating summit at the Vatican to help normalize relations between the two nations. The historic deal culminated this December.
Refugees in Iraqi Kurdistan: As the plight of Christian minorities in the Middle East worsened this year, Francis made numerous appeals for prayer and arranged gestures of solidarity. To bridge the physical distance, he recently sent the displaced a video message. At Christmas, he telephoned Ankawa Refugee Center to express his closeness.
Kathryn Elliott covers the Vatican, Pope Francis and all things related to the Catholic Church for HNGN. She is a producer for EWTN News Nightly, an international cable news show airing weeknights at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. EST on the Global Catholic Television Network. Kathryn has reported for the National Catholic Register, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Catholic Spirit, The Minnesota Daily and The Word Among Us Magazine. She has a BA in professional journalism from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Kathryn lives in Washington, D.C. Follow her on Twitter at @kmelliott90.
