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Poor Mrs. Rigsby
by Kathy HermanCNA Sally Cox is about as happy to be at Walnut Hills Nursing Center as the patients are. But it's work or starve, now that her husband has found a younger companion. Sally's new crowd skews toward the elderly-ninety-year-old Elsie Rigsby, for instance, whose dementia comes and goes with her gold-digging son and grandson's visits. Elsie's not going to tell those vultures where she stashed her money. Still, she's not getting any younger, and someone besides her needs to know. Three deaths later, is anyone watching Sally?The love of moneyhellip; Poor Mrs. Rigsby gets so confused. But she's Sally Cox's favorite patient at Walnut Hills Nursing Center . It's too bad her only relatives are her insensitive son, Harry, who's always badgering her about money, and a charming but unreliable grandson. hellip;is a roothellip; Harry Rigsby is retired, but these years aren't exactly golden for him. He's been reduced to eating ketchup sandwiches when his Social Security check doesn't stretch to cover the whole month. It just isn't fair. He has long suspected his mother of rat-holing money, but she won't admit it. Trouble is, if he doesn't find out before her mind goes, he'll never see a penny of it. hellip;of all kinds of evil. Sally Cox is drowning in debt and resentful that her job at the nursing home doesn't pay enough. When Mrs. Rigsby tells her and a coworker that she's hidden money from her greedy son, the coworker devises the perfect scheme to end Sally's financial woes-and opens a door to something evil! Poor Mrs. Rigsbyexplores the pitfalls of financial worry, the wages of greed, and the God who has promised to be a refuge from both. Story Behind the Book I've been dismayed by the financial abuse of people in power-corporate CEOs, trusted religious leaders, and even heads of households-whose mismanagement and greed have inflicted hardship on many a victim. But I wrotePoor Mrs. Rigsbyto show what can happen whenvictimsjustify using dishonest means in an effort to regain control of their financial ture. It's my hope that this story will challenge believers to take an honest look at where they draw the line between their own striving for financial purity-and trusting God to provide what they need. From the Trade Paperback edition.
Poor Shaydullah
by Boris ArtzybasheffBoris Artzybasheff’s Poor Shaydullah is a haunting and evocative tale that combines timeless storytelling with richly symbolic illustrations. Known for his striking artwork and imaginative vision, Artzybasheff crafts a poignant narrative about human struggle, resilience, and the search for meaning in an indifferent world.The story follows Shaydullah, a humble and downtrodden figure whose life is marked by hardship and alienation. Despite the challenges he faces, Shaydullah’s journey is one of quiet perseverance, as he seeks solace and purpose in a world that often seems cruel and unforgiving. Through encounters with vivid characters and surreal events, the tale delves into themes of human dignity, spiritual longing, and the universal quest for understanding.Artzybasheff’s illustrations elevate the story to a profound artistic experience, blending his characteristic surrealism with intricate detail and emotional depth. Each image complements the narrative, offering a visual dimension that enhances the book’s exploration of existential questions and the complexity of the human condition.Poor Shaydullah is a powerful and thought-provoking work that transcends traditional storytelling, merging art and literature into a deeply moving experience. Ideal for readers who appreciate allegorical tales and imaginative visuals, this book is a testament to Artzybasheff’s ability to capture the struggles and triumphs of the human spirit in both word and image.
The Poor Will Be Glad: Joining the Revolution to Lift the World Out of Poverty
by Peter Greer Phil SmithThis eminently practical book challenges the church to shift tactics in the battle against spiritual and physical poverty and equips ordinary Christians to translate their compassion into thoughtful action. Authors Peter Greer and Phil Smith examine the pitfalls of traditional approaches to reducing poverty. Then, through real-life stories and insight born of personal experience in serving the poor, they outline a new model of economic development based on proven solutions for effectively reducing poverty. They demonstrate how microfinance and employment-based solutions free people from the cycle of dependency, helping them regain their dignity and provide for their families. Blending passion with practicality, they show readers who share God’s heart for the poor how to reorient their efforts from giving handouts to offering a hand up, paving the way for local initiative and ownership. By highlighting poverty-fighting methods for small groups and churches along with workable steps for individuals to pursue, The Poor Will Be Glad sounds a compelling call to carry God’s justice, mercy, and compassion to the hurting people of this world.
Poorva - Magic, Miracles and the Mystical Twelve
by Lakshmi Devnath"At the end of reading I felt I have traveled all over South India with Poorva and entered different periods of the saints and participated in their lives. I recommend this book to every child, parent and grandparent." - Dr.(Mrs.)Y. G. Parthasarathy
Pop Goes Religion: Faith in Popular Culture
by Terry MattinglyJohnny Cash, Harry Potter, the Simpsons, and John Grisham. What do all of these icons in pop culture have to do with faith? Find the answer in Pop Goes Religion; relevant insight into the world of today's entertainment.In this collection of essays, popular American journalist, Terry Mattingly teaches readers how to identify elements of faith in today's pop culture.Topics include:God & Popular MusicFaith & the Big Screen God on TVInk, Paper, and GodPolitics and Current EventsFrom music to movies, politics to the pope, Mattingly explores the matters of the heart with a fresh and relevant perspective.
Pop Islam: Seeing American Muslims in Popular Media
by Rosemary PenningtonIn the West, Islam and Muslim life have been imagined as existing in an opposing state to popular culture—a frozen faith unable to engage with the dynamic way popular culture shifts over time, its followers reduced to tropes of terrorism and enemies of the state. Pop Islam: Seeing American Muslims in Popular Media traces narratives found in contemporary American comic books, scripted and reality television, fashion magazines, comedy routines, and movies to understand how they reveal nuanced Muslim identities to American audiences, even as their accessibility obscures their diversity. Rosemary Pennington argues that even as American Muslims have become more visible in popular media and created space for themselves in everything from magazines to prime-time television to social media, this move toward "being seen" can reinforce fixed ideas of what it means to be Muslim. Pennington reveals how portrayals of Muslims in American popular media fall into a "trap of visibility," where moving beyond negative tropes can cause creators and audiences to unintentionally amplify those same stereotypes. To truly understand where American narratives of who Muslims are come from, we must engage with popular media while also considering who is allowed to be seen there—and why.
Pop Pagans: Paganism and Popular Music (Studies in Contemporary and Historical Paganism)
by Donna Weston Andy BennettPaganism is rapidly becoming a religious, creative, and political force internationally. It has found one of its most public expressions in popular music, where it is voiced by singers and musicians across rock, folk, techno, goth, metal, Celtic, world, and pop music. With essays ranging across the US, UK, continental Europe, Australia and Asia, 'Pop Pagans' assesses the histories, genres, performances, and communities of pagan popular music. Over time, paganism became associated with the counter culture, satanic and gothic culture, rave and festival culture, ecological consciousness and spirituality, and new ageism. Paganism has used music to express a powerful and even transgressive force in everyday life. 'Pop Pagans' examines the many artists and movements which have contributed to this growing phenomenon.
Pop Star Goddesses: And How to Tap Into Their Energies to Invoke Your Best Self
by Jennifer Keishin ArmstrongA compendium of thirty-five incredible female pop stars whose energies, virtues, and vices make them the ideal role models for our age—powerful women who can teach us all how to discover our own inner goddess.We are living in the age of the music goddess: Beyoncé. Lady Gaga. Taylor Swift. Katy Perry. Britney. Nicki Minaj. Cardi B. Pink. Madonna. Rihanna. Gwen Stefani. Alicia Keys. Kelly Clarkson. Never before have so many women dominated their industry and pop culture itself with such creativity, passion, and force. Visionary and ferociously talented, these women are reshaping our society and our lives. In this stunningly designed compendium, Jennifer Armstrong offers an intimate, up-close look at thirty-five of pop music’s most revered goddesses, analyzing their performances, songs, videos, interviews, social media, activism, and personal lives to illuminate their significance for both critics and fans. These divas post astounding album sales, enjoy millions of radio plays, YouTube views, and social media followings, and sell out stadiums. While we are awed and inspired by their success, we worship them for so much more. Beyoncé’s work ethic. Nicki Minaj’s no-bullshit attitude. Taylor Swift’s relatability. Pink’s sense of social justice. Jennifer Lopez’s transformation from “Jenny from the block” to fashion icon. Each of these goddesses speaks to us in her own unique way. Beyoncé is our superhuman alter ego; Britney is our survival instinct. Armstrong pairs each pop star goddess with a corresponding goddess from ancient cultures, and offers advice on how to invoke the pop star goddess’s energy in your own life, providing journal prompts and a Power Song List that allows you harness the power of a particular pop goddess’s energy when you need it. Filled with information, advice, insights, playlists, and forty gorgeous color illustrations, Pop Star Goddess will help you tune in and turn on your own divine energy. The Pop Star Goddesses are: Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, M.I.A., Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Lady Gaga, Carla Bruni, Pink, JLo, Kesha, Rihanna, Janelle Monae, Gwen Stephani, Alicia Keys, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Jennifer Hudson, Mariah Carey, Adele, Missy Elliott, Shakira, Solange, Miranda Lambert, Celine Dion, Sia, Queen Latifah, SZA, Kacey Musgraves, Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Laura Jane Grace, Ariana Grande, Carly Rae Jepsen.
Popcultured: Thinking Christianly About Style, Media and Entertainment
by Steve Turnerhow movies use redemptive narratives and parablesways journalistic headlines convey worldview assumptionsdifferences between famous people in the past and celebrities todaywhat ideas are communicated through clothing and fashion designhow technology changes our sense of what is realand much more
The Pope: Francis, Benedict, and the Decision That Shook the World
by Anthony McCartenFrom the Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of The Theory of Everything and Darkest Hour comes the fascinating and revealing tale of an unprecedented transfer of power, and of two very different men - who both happen to live in the Vatican. SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING ANTHONY HOPKINS AND JONATHAN PRYCE. In February 2013, the arch-conservative Pope Benedict XVI made a startling announcement: he would resign, making him the first pope to willingly vacate his office in over 700 years. Reeling from the news, the College of Cardinals rushed to Rome to congregate in the Sistine Chapel to pick his successor. Their unlikely choice? Francis, the first non-European pope in 1,200 years, a one time tango club bouncer, a passionate soccer fan, a man with the common touch.Why did Benedict walk away at the height of power, knowing his successor might be someone whose views might undo his legacy? How did Francis - who used to ride the bus to work back in his native Buenos Aires - adjust to life as leader to a billion followers? If, as the Church teaches, the pope is infallible, how can two living popes who disagree on almost everything both be right? Having immersed himself in these men's lives to write the screenplay for the upcoming motion picture The Pope, Anthony McCarten masterfully weaves their stories into one gripping narrative. From Benedict and Francis's formative experiences in war-torn Germany and Argentina to the sexual abuse scandal that continues to rock the Church to its foundations to the intrigue and the occasional comedy of life in the Vatican, The Pope glitters with the darker and the lighter details of one of the world's most opaque but significant institutions.
Pope Alexander III: The Art of Survival (Church, Faith and Culture in the Medieval West)
by Peter D. Clarke Anne J. DugganAlexander III was one of the most important popes of the Middle Ages and his papacy (1159-81) marked a significant watershed in the history of the Western Church and society. This book provides a long overdue reassessment of his papacy and his achievements, bringing together thirteen essays which review existing scholarship and present the latest research and new perspectives. Individual chapters cover topics such as Alexander's many contributions to the law of the Church, which had a major impact upon Western society, notably on marriage, his relations with Byzantium, and the extension of papal authority at the peripheries of the West, in Spain, Northern Europe and the Holy Land. But dominant are the major clashes between secular and spiritual authority: the confrontation between Henry II of England and Thomas Becket after which Alexander eventually secured the king's co-operation and the pope's eighteen-year conflict with the German emperor, Frederick I. Both the papacy and the Western Church emerged as stronger institutions from this struggle, largely owing to Alexander's leadership and resilience: he truly mastered the art of survival.
The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe
by David I. KertzerFrom National Book Award finalist David I. Kertzer comes the gripping story of Pope Pius XI's secret relations with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. This groundbreaking work, based on seven years of research in the Vatican and Fascist archives, including reports from Mussolini's spies inside the highest levels of the Church, will forever change our understanding of the Vatican's role in the rise of Fascism in Europe. The Pope and Mussolini tells the story of two men who came to power in 1922, and together changed the course of twentieth-century history. In most respects, they could not have been more different. One was scholarly and devout, the other thuggish and profane. Yet Pius XI and "Il Duce" had many things in common. They shared a distrust of democracy and a visceral hatred of Communism. Both were prone to sudden fits of temper and were fiercely protective of the prerogatives of their office. ("We have many interests to protect," the Pope declared, soon after Mussolini seized control of the government in 1922.) Each relied on the other to consolidate his power and achieve his political goals. In a challenge to the conventional history of this period, in which a heroic Church does battle with the Fascist regime, Kertzer shows how Pius XI played a crucial role in making Mussolini's dictatorship possible and keeping him in power. In exchange for Vatican support, Mussolini restored many of the privileges the Church had lost and gave in to the pope's demands that the police enforce Catholic morality. Yet in the last years of his life--as the Italian dictator grew ever closer to Hitler--the pontiff's faith in this treacherous bargain started to waver. With his health failing, he began to lash out at the Duce and threatened to denounce Mussolini's anti-Semitic racial laws before it was too late. Horrified by the threat to the Church-Fascist alliance, the Vatican's inner circle, including the future Pope Pius XII, struggled to restrain the headstrong pope from destroying a partnership that had served both the Church and the dictator for many years. The Pope and Mussolini brims with memorable portraits of the men who helped enable the reign of Fascism in Italy: Father Pietro Tacchi Venturi, Pius's personal emissary to the dictator, a wily anti-Semite known as Mussolini's Rasputin; Victor Emmanuel III, the king of Italy, an object of widespread derision who lacked the stature--literally and figuratively--to stand up to the domineering Duce; and Cardinal Secretary of State Eugenio Pacelli, whose political skills and ambition made him Mussolini's most powerful ally inside the Vatican, and positioned him to succeed the pontiff as the controversial Pius XII, whose actions during World War II would be subject for debate for decades to come. With the recent opening of the Vatican archives covering Pius XI's papacy, the full story of the Pope's complex relationship with his Fascist partner can finally be told. Vivid, dramatic, with surprises at every turn, The Pope and Mussolini is history writ large and with the lightning hand of truth. Advance praise for The Pope and Mussolini "David Kertzer has an eye for a story, an ear for the right word, and an instinct for human tragedy. They all come together in The Pope and Mussolini to document, with meticulous scholarship and novelistic flair, the complicity between Pius XI and the Fascist leader in creating an unholy alliance between the Vatican and a totalitarian government rooted in corruption and brutality. This is a sophisticated blockbuster."--Joseph J. Ellis, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Revolutionary Summer
The Pope and the CEO: John Paul II's Leadership Lessons to a Young Swiss Guard
by Andreas WidmerThe Pope & The CEO is a guidebook for people seeking to integrate faith into all aspects of their lives. The book offers glimpses into the life of a Swiss Guard at the Vatican. This book is the effort of the author to share the lessons he learned from Pope John Paul II's example, based primarily on his memories of John Paul II during the two years he was tasked with protecting him. It also tells the story of how those memories later directed him in his quest to live his Catholic faith as a corporate executive and CEO. The text will help the Christian executive, CEO, entrepreneur, or small business owner learn some key principles of successful leadership. The head of any organization--family, school, church, or association--will see a ready application, and will benefit from this book and its lessons.
The Pope at War: The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler
by David I. KertzerNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • &“The most important book ever written about the Catholic Church and its conduct during World War II.&”—Daniel Silva&“Kertzer brings all of his usual detective and narrative skills to [The Pope at War] . . . the most comprehensive account of the Vatican&’s relations to the Nazi and fascist regimes before and during the war.&”—The Washington Post Based on newly opened Vatican archives, a groundbreaking, explosive, and riveting book about Pope Pius XII and his actions during World War II, including how he responded to the Holocaust, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Pope and MussoliniWINNER OF THE JULIA WARD HOWE AWARD • LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/JACQUELINE BOGRAD WELD AWARD • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New YorkerWhen Pope Pius XII died in 1958, his papers were sealed in the Vatican Secret Archives, leaving unanswered questions about what he knew and did during World War II. Those questions have only grown and festered, making Pius XII one of the most controversial popes in Church history, especially now as the Vatican prepares to canonize him.In 2020, Pius XII&’s archives were finally opened, and David I. Kertzer—widely recognized as one of the world&’s leading Vatican scholars—has been mining this new material ever since, revealing how the pope came to set aside moral leadership in order to preserve his church&’s power.Based on thousands of never-before-seen documents not only from the Vatican, but from archives in Italy, Germany, France, Britain, and the United States, The Pope at War paints a new, dramatic portrait of what the pope did and did not do as war enveloped the continent and as the Nazis began their systematic mass murder of Europe&’s Jews. The book clears away the myths and sheer falsehoods surrounding the pope&’s actions from 1939 to 1945, showing why the pope repeatedly bent to the wills of Hitler and Mussolini.Just as Kertzer&’s Pulitzer Prize–winning The Pope and Mussolini became the definitive book on Pope Pius XI and the Fascist regime, The Pope at War is destined to become the most influential account of his successor, Pius XII, and his relations with Mussolini and Hitler. Kertzer shows why no full understanding of the course of World War II is complete without knowledge of the dramatic, behind-the-scenes role played by the pope. &“This remarkably researched book is replete with revelations that deserve the adjective &‘explosive,&’&” says Kevin Madigan, Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard University. &“The Pope at War is a masterpiece.&”
Pope Benedict XVI
by Stephen MansfieldWhile often regarded as a conservative influence on the church, the Pope and his story defy easy categorization, argues bestselling author Stephen Mansfield. John Paul became a priest only after attending an underground seminary during the Nazi occupation of Poland. To keep his national culture alive during those dark years, young Karol started an outlawed theater troupe. He became a poet and a playwright, and, even after gaining an international reputation as a theologian, he still kept the artist's touch. Mansfield vividly recalls the Pope as the churchman whose courage helped to bring down communism, as the world figure who visited his would-be assassin's prison cell to extend forgiveness, and as the theologically conservative icon who fought for the poor and against the corruptions of capitalism more than any other world leader of his time. He is the first pope to enter a synagogue, the first to apologize for the Holocaust, and the first to visit a concentration camp. What is certain, says Mansfield, is that Pope John Paul II has had a decisive impact on our times, and not only as a religious leader: He has shaped our world as a philosopher, a statesman, an artist, and a "great soul. " In Pope John Paul II, Mansfield examines the Pope's influence on the world specifically from the perspective of a non-Catholic-a committed Christian without fealty to Rome. Mansfield's academic depth, his poetic but widely accessible writing style, and his ability to render complex religious ideas understandable to the non-religious, lend his treatment of Pope John Paul II significance for readers of all philosophies and faiths.
Pope Francis: Journeys of a Peacemaker (Peacemakers)
by Mario I. AguilarThis volume is about Pope Francis, the diplomat. In his eight years of pontificate, Pope Francis as a peacemaker has propagated the ideas of human and divine cooperation to build a global human fraternity through his journeys outside the Vatican. This book discusses his endeavours to connect and develop a common peaceful international order between countries, faith communities, and even antagonistic communities through a peaceful journey of human beings. The book analyses his speeches, and meetings as a diplomat of peace, including his visits to Cuba and the United States, and his mediations for peace in Colombia, Myanmar, Kenya, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Jerusalem, the Central African Republic, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. It discusses the role of Pope Francis as mediator in different circumstances through his own writings, letters, and Vatican documents; his encounters with world leaders; as well as his contributions to a universal understanding on inter-faith dialogue, climate change and the environment, and human migration and the refugee crisis. The volume also sheds light on his ideas on a post-pandemic just social order, as summarised in his 2020 encyclical. A definitive work on the diplomacy and the travels of Pope Francis, this volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of religious studies, peace and conflict studies, ethics and philosophy, and political science and international relations. It will be of great interest to the general reader as well.
Pope Francis: The Story of the Holy Father
by Marie DuhamelFrom the moment he was elected into the papacy, Pope Francis has captured the attention of the world with his humility, charisma, and reformist spirit.This one-of-a-kind, illustrated biography of the first Jesuit pope offers more than 250 photographs and 50 removable documents from Francis's life. Written by Vatican Radio reporter Marie Duhamel, this intimate portrait includes his parents emigration from Italy, his birth as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936, his love of soccer and opera as a child, the pneumonia that nearly cost him his life as a young adult, his calling to the priesthood, and his first encounter with poverty as a missionary in Chile that would change his life. Duhamel chronicles Francis's rise from priest to bishop to cardinal to the papacy and how, along the way, he impressed many people-and alienated some-with his courage to stand up to authority and his dedication to helping the poor.Enclosed documents such as his baptism certificate, photographs from his childhood, pages from a school notebook, handwritten notes as pope, and even a support card for his beloved San Lorenzosoccer club, further illuminate his life and create a lasting keepsake of this pope of the people.
Pope Francis: The People's Pope (A Real-Life Story)
by Beatrice GormleyBea Gormley tells the story of Pope Francis, known as the People&’s Pope, who has humbly said, &“My people are poor and I am one of them.&”Ordained as Pope on March 13, 2013, Pope Francis became the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Known worldwide for his great humility and approachability, he is the first citizen from the Americas, the first non-European, and first Jesuit priest to be named Pope. Gormley explores the pontif&’s early years, growing up as the eldest of five children of Italian immigrants in Argentina, working as a chemical technician before venturing in the priesthood as a Jesuit novice. He went from Bishop to Archbishop to Cardinal—and gained a reputation for personal humility, doctrinal conservatism, and a commitment to social justice, which stands to this day. Named Person of the Year by Time magazine in December 2013, Pope Francis remains outspoken in support of the world&’s poor and marginalized people, and he has been involved actively in areas of political diplomacy and environmental advocacy.
Pope Francis (Readers Bios)
by Barbara KramerMeet Pope Francis. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis is the first Pope from the Americas. He's also the first Pope to replace a living one! Learn all about the Pontiff in this level 1 reader, carefully leveled for an early independent reading or read aloud experience.
Pope Francis: Money, Masons and Occultism in the Decline of the Catholic Church
by Brad Olsen Leo ZagamiPope Francis: The Last Pope? reveals the possible reasons for the choice of historical abdication of Benedict XVI and traces the process that led to the election of Cardinal Bergoglio: the Pope who many have prophesized will be the last and will bring the Catholic Church to its end. The book details the history of this prophecy, which was hidden away in the Vatican for hundreds of years and predicts that the reign of the last Pope will herald the beginning of "great apostasy" followed by "great tribulation." It also explores the recent scandals in the Catholic Church and addresses questions including What pressures decreed the end of the pontificate of Benedict XVI? What powers have an interest for the Church to end? and What is the relationship between the Vatican and the New World Order? Perfect for anyone interested in prophecies about the end times, Pope Francis: The Last Pope reveals the truth about what numerology says about the last Pope and the darkness that may follow him, as well as fascinating investigations into the gay lobby, Freemasonry, and the Jesuit agenda in the Vatican and how it relates to the first Borgia Pope, the legend of the White Pope and the Black Pope, and how Benedict's resignation may fulfill an ancient prophecy.
Pope Francis: Conversations With Jorge Bergoglio
by Sergio Rubin Francesca AmbrogettiCardinal Jorge Bergoglio was chosen as the next Pope in one of the shortest conclaves in history. He is the first Pope Francis, the first Jesuit Pope, the first Pope to come from Latin America. Who is this man, and how did he come to such high position?This book begins with the arrival of Bergoglio's family in Buenos Aires in 1929, travelling from Italy, explores his childhood as one of a family of five, his first job as a factory cleaner and the bout of pneumonia which forced him to reassess his life completely. Then from his early days as a seminarian through his experience as a teacher of psychology and literature, through to his consecration as a cardinal by Pope John Paul II, Bergoglio shares his experiences of faith and life.The difficult subjects are met head on, from the declining numbers of priests to celibacy and even the sex abuse scandals that have rocked the church - and through it all, Bergoglio's humble approach and desire to live an austere and faithful life shine through.This is a Pope who will not allow himself to be fitted to a traditional mould - and the world waits with bated breath to see what his time as leader of the world's largest church will bring.
Pope Francis
by Sergio Rubin Francesca AmbrogettiThe only authorised biography of Pope Francis I. Just who is Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to take the name Francis? Elected in one of the shortest conclaves in history, the former Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina reveals, in a series of extensive interviews conducted over the course of two years, the very image of a humble priest, inspired teacher, and wise and adroit cardinal. Speaking spontaneously and intimately, Archbishop Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, covers topics as wide-ranging as his childhood, family life, and first job to discovering his calling and his early days in the seminary. The former archbishop was a teacher of psychology and literature until John Paul II consecrated him as a cardinal. He befriended writers like Jorge Luis Borges and cites Homer, Cervantes, and German and Italian poets with ease and offers genuinely interesting and nuanced thoughts about teaching. A learned and introspective man, he doesn't avoid the uncomfortable subjects: topics covered include the declining numbers of priests and nuns; celibacy; the sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the church; and his opinions about and experience with the military dictatorship of his own crisis riddled country. It also discusses the incredible role he played in the last conclave. In each stage of his life, we witness a man more interested in substance than style, one whose actions and words reflect his deeply-rooted humility. The book concludes with the Pope's own writings and reflections, full of wisdom and inspiration.
Pope Francis: From the End of the Earth to Rome
by The Staff of the Wall Street JournalOn March 13, the cardinals of the Catholic Church, gathered to elect a successor to a living Pope for the first time in 600 years, announced a dramatic shift. By elevating Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina to become Pope Francis the 266th Pontiff, the cardinals were naming the first-ever Pope from the growing New World to take the helm of the church at a crucial moment.It was a stunning move by a 2,000-year-old institution that has immense influence—with 1.2 billion adherents worldwide—and huge problems, including a decade-old sex-abuse scandal that has shattered faith in the institution, a shortage of priests and secular trends that have drained the church of members and challenged its relevancy in a changing world.From the shocking decision by Pope Benedict XVI to retire, to the introduction of Pope Francis, from the back streets of Buenos Aires to the front row at St. Peter's Square, reporters from The Wall Street Journal have chronicled these dramatic weeks in the life of the oldest institution in the world. Now, in a new e-book, Journal reporters will present a detailed, timely and original biography of the new Pope Francis, as well as new insight on the bargaining and drama that surrounded his rise. Pope Francis will present the full, in-depth story of the church's change in direction and the man charged with leading it, and consider how Pope Francis might address the years of scandal and shortcomings while leading Catholics worldwide toward a deeper faith.
Pope Francis: Untying the Knots
by Paul VallelyFrom his first appearance on a Vatican balcony Pope Francis proved himself a Pope of Surprises. With a series of potent gestures, history's first Jesuit pope declared a mission to restore authenticity and integrity to a Catholic Church bedevilled by sex abuse and secrecy, intrigue and in-fighting, ambition and arrogance. He declared it should be "a poor Church, for the poor." But there is a hidden past to this modest man with the winning smile. Jorge Mario Bergoglio was previously a bitterly divisive figure. His decade as leader of Argentina's Jesuits left the religious order deeply split. And his behaviour during Argentina's Dirty War, when military death squads snatched innocent people from the streets, raised serious questions – on which this book casts new light. Yet something dramatic then happened to Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He underwent an extraordinary transformation. After a time of exile he re-emerged having turned from a conservative authoritarian into a humble friend of the poor – and became Bishop of the Slums, making enemies among Argentina's political classes in the process. For Pope Francis – Untying the Knots, Paul Vallely travelled to Argentina and Rome to meet Bergoglio's intimates over the last four decades. His book charts a remarkable journey. It reveals what changed the man who was to become Pope Francis—from a reactionary into the revolutionary who is unnerving Rome's clerical careerists with the extent of his behind-the-scenes changes. In this perceptive portrait Paul Vallely offers both new evidence and penetrating insights into the kind of pope Francis could become.
Pope Francis Among the Wolves: The Inside Story of a Revolution
by Marco PolitiMarco Politi takes us deep inside the power struggle roiling the Roman Curia and the Catholic Church worldwide, beginning with Benedict XVI, the pope who famously resigned in 2013, and intensifying with the contested and unexpected election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, now known as Pope Francis. Politi's account balances the perspectives of Pope Francis's supporters, Benedict's sympathizers, and those disappointed members of the Catholic laity who feel alienated by the institution's secrecy, financial corruption, and refusal to modernize.Politi dramatically recounts the sexual scandals that have rocked the church and the accusations of money laundering and other financial misdeeds swirling around the Vatican and the Italian Catholic establishment. Pope Francis has tried to shine a light on these crimes, but his work has been met with resistance from entrenched factions. Politi writes of the decline in church attendance and vocations to the priesthood throughout the world as the church continues to prohibit divorced and remarried Catholics from receiving the communion wafer. He visits European parishes where women now perform the functions of missing male priests—and where the remaining parishioners would welcome the admission of women to the priesthood, if the church would allow it. Pope Francis's emphasis on pastoral compassion for all who struggle with the burden of family life has also provoked the ire of traditionalists in the Roman Curia and elsewhere. He knows from personal experience what life is like for the poor in Buenos Aires and other metropolises of the globalized world, and highlights the contrast between the vital, vibrant faith of these parishioners and the disillusionment of European Catholics. Pope Francis and his supporters are locked in a battle with the defenders of the traditional hard line and with ecclesiastical corruption. In this conflict, the future of Catholicism is at stake—and it is far from certain Francis will succeed in saving the institution from decline.