In its cover story on the "Person of the Year," Time magazine contrasts Pope Francis' background with that of his two most recent predecessors: "John Paul II and Benedict XVI were professors of theology. Francis is a former janitor, nightclub bouncer, chemical technician and literature teacher."
The point can be extended further. Every pope from 1914 to 1978 had Vatican diplomatic or bureaucratic experience, and so our understanding of the papacy has been shaped by diplomats, bureaucrats and scholars. That Francis has instead been first and foremost a pastor has undoubtedly contributed to his powerful charisma. It's part of why he has quickly become popular around the world and, as Time puts it, "captured the imagination of millions who had given up on hoping for the church at all." He is a pastor, moreover, who fairly radiates holiness.
One strength of diplomats, bureaucrats and scholars, or at least the good ones, is that they choose their words carefully. A Catholic friend of mine says that Francis seeks to engage the world in the style of after-dinner conversation. A weakness of that style is that some of Francis' comments are frustratingly vague, imprecise or poorly considered. The much-discussed remarks on economics within his recent apostolic exhortation are a case in point.