India, April 28 -- The white cassock now lies still.

The shepherd's staff rests. And the world, Catholic or not, pauses to mourn a man who quietly shook empires-Pope Francis. He didn't roar like a lion. He whispered like a sage. But those whispers reached corners that centuries of sermons never did.

As tributes pour in, there's a lesson from his life that every bright-eyed youngster with dreams of reform should take to heart. It's this: Don't try cleaning up the system from the bottom. Climb first. Then clean. That was Pope Francis' way. It worked for him. And it can work for you.

Today's youth are ablaze with change. They want to scrub institutions, challenge traditions, and disinfect the rot. Noble intentions, but here's the rub-scru...