A fresh look at a complex pope with a simple agenda: radically reforming the Catholic Church.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the consummate disruptor, disrupting archaic modes of church governance, disrupting our collective spiritual complacency in the face of new challenges to our human flourishing while at the same time remaining deeply faithful to the organic traditions of the church. He is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, but beyond that he is a universal leader with commanding moral presence, able to connect with laypeople and with non-Christian faiths. Pope Francis is also a credible moral voice on issues of immigration, economic inequity, the devastating consequences of political populism, and the accelerating threats to the environment, in spite of the fact that he faces deep infrastructure and governance scandals in his organization.
In his determination to reform the Vatican and ensure the Catholic faith evolves in a way that is relevant to the 21st century, Francis is very much carrying on the tradition of the Jesuits, an order known for their work in education, humanitarian missions, and social justice. A deep understanding of the Jesuit order informs Michael W. Higgins’s approach in this novel reading of a papacy unlike any other.
A fresh look at a complex pope with a simple agenda: radically reforming the Catholic Church.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the consummate disruptor, disrupting archaic modes of church governance, disrupting our collective spiritual complacency in the face of new challenges to our human flourishing while at the same time remaining deeply faithful to the organic traditions of the church. He is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, but beyond that he is a universal leader with commanding moral presence, able to connect with laypeople and with non-Christian faiths. Pope Francis is also a credible moral voice on issues of immigration, economic inequity, the devastating consequences of political populism, and the accelerating threats to the environment, in spite of the fact that he faces deep infrastructure and governance scandals in his organization.
In his determination to reform the Vatican and ensure the Catholic faith evolves in a way that is relevant to the 21st century, Francis is very much carrying on the tradition of the Jesuits, an order known for their work in education, humanitarian missions, and social justice. A deep understanding of the Jesuit order informs Michael W. Higgins’s approach in this novel reading of a papacy unlike any other.
| Published By | House of Anansi Press Inc — Sep 10, 2024 |
| Specifications | 344 pages | 5.5 in x 8.5 in |
| Keywords | biography; progressive Catholics; liberal Catholics; University of Toronto; University of Waterloo; christianity; Rome; Bishop of Rome; Vicar of Jesus; pious; Life and Revolution; Papa Pancho; synod; papal bulls; colonialism; |
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Excerpt |
| Written By |
MICHAEL W. HIGGINS is President and Vice-Chancellor Emeritus, St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo; Basilian Distinguished Fellow in Contemporary Catholic Thought, St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto; and Distinguished Professor of Catholic Thought Emeritus, Sacred Heart University, Connecticut. He writes on Vatican affairs for the Globe and Mail, served as chief consultant of Sir Peter Ustinov’s Inside the Vatican television series, and was co-author of the best-selling Power and Peril: The Catholic Church at the Crossroads. He lives in Guelph, Ontario. |
| Written By |
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MICHAEL W. HIGGINS is President and Vice-Chancellor Emeritus, St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo; Basilian Distinguished Fellow in Contemporary Catholic Thought, St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto; and Distinguished Professor of Catholic Thought Emeritus, Sacred Heart University, Connecticut. He writes on Vatican affairs for the Globe and Mail, served as chief consultant of Sir Peter Ustinov’s Inside the Vatican television series, and was co-author of the best-selling Power and Peril: The Catholic Church at the Crossroads. He lives in Guelph, Ontario. |
“Filled with vignettes and details revealing Higgins’s insider view of life at the Vatican, [The Jesuit Disruptor] often has the friendly and joyous feel of someone talking about a dear friend.” — Library Journal (STARRED Review)
” —“The Jesuit Disruptor serves as a robust counterbalance to the biographies critical of the Argentinian pontiff … The book offers a refreshing note of optimism.” — National Catholic Reporter
” —“A thorough and erudite discussion of this turbulent moment for the Catholic Church.” — Literary Review of Canada
” —“A distinct interpretation of Francis’ pontificate … A creative and personalized sense of Francis’ vision for Catholics and for the world.” — Winnipeg Free Press
” —“A tantalizing read of Pope Francis’s revolutionary papacy … Quirky, quizzical, and even occasionally quixotic, Higgins’s approach is accessible and the style entertaining.” — James Martin, SJ, author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything
” —Catherine Clifford, Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, Saint Paul University, Ottawa"Who knew that academic rigour and intellectual subtlety could come with such energy, humour, and craic?" — Gerry O’Hanlon, SJ, author of The Quiet Revolution of Pope Francis
” —Gerry O’Hanlon, SJ, author of The Quiet Revolution of Pope Francis“Higgins is the perfect biographer for this remarkable pontiff so unafraid to show either his failings or his most profound aspirations.” — John Fraser, author of The Secret of the Crown: Canada’s Affair with Royalty
” —James Clarke, retired Ontario Superior Court judge and poet“Higgins’s treatment is fair; although a clear admirer of the pope, he does not shy away from criticism when it is merited … Higgins provides a prescient view into the ‘pope of surprises.’” — Colleen Dulle, associate editor of America Magazine and host of the podcast Inside the Vatican
” —Douglas Roche, former senator and author"With passionate wit and perceptivity, this astute observer of Vatican affairs paints a deeply personal portrait of the Argentine outlier pope." — Catherine Clifford, Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, Saint Paul University, Ottawa
” —Paul Lakeland, Emeritus Professor of Catholic Studies, Fairfield University"A clarion call for a fresh way of seeing the Gospel … A timely message for our confused, distempered times." — James Clarke, retired Ontario Superior Court judge and poet
” —Richard Yanikoski, President Emeritus, Saint Xavier University, Chicago, and President Emeritus, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities"[Higgins] writes knowingly of Pope Francis’s struggles with recalcitrant prelates, sexual abuse scandals, the controversial role of women in the church, and most of all, the fulfillment of the Second Vatican Council in unleashing the creativity of lay people." — Douglas Roche, former senator and author
” —Dr. Mark G. McGowan, Professor of History, University of Toronto"Judicious, well-informed, and elegant, this highly original but thoroughly persuasive reading of the papacy of Pope Francis hits the spot." — Paul Lakeland, Emeritus Professor of Catholic Studies, Fairfield University
” —Brother Mark O’Connor FMS, Pope Francis Fellow, Newman College, University of Melbourne, Australia"Higgins’s narrative is fresh, candid, solidly grounded, and insightful—a delight for discerning readers." — Richard Yanikoski, President Emeritus, Saint Xavier University, Chicago, and President Emeritus, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities
” —John Fraser, author of The Secret of the Crown and executive chair of the National NewsMedia Council of Canada"A very accessible academic, yet deeply personal examination of the pontificate of Francis." — Dr. Mark G. McGowan, Professor of History, University of Toronto
” —John Dadosky, Professor of Theology and Philosophy, University of Toronto"[A]n accessible and insightful study of a remarkably resilient pope." — Brother Mark O’Connor FMS, Pope Francis Fellow, Newman College, University of Melbourne, Australia
” —Colleen Dulle, associate editor of America Magazine and host of the podcast Inside the Vatican“[A]n essential guide to one of the most consequential figures in the history of the church.” — Robert Ellsberg, publisher of Orbis Books
”"Michael W. Higgins is a prolific writer with literary skill, whose turns of phrase, succinct descriptions, and wealth of experience will delight the reader with a readable, provocative synopsis of the bridge-building pope." — John Dadosky, Professor of Theology and Philosophy, University of Toronto
”“Michael W. Higgins manages to carve out some fresh space in a crowded field. What a joy to read such punchy and elegant storytelling.” — Brendan Walsh, editor of The Tablet
”“An engaging read.” — Susan K. Wood, Professor of Systematic Theology, Toronto School of Theology at the University of Toronto
”“When Michael W. Higgins calls Pope Francis a disruptor, this is not a superficial response to a controversial public figure … What Higgins truly gets right about Francis is not grounded in politics, history, or journalism, but in his focus on the heart of the man." — John W. Martens, Professor of Theology, Saint Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia
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