April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
BOOK REVIEW
Hooked on Francis
Because there is great coverage of Pope Francis, many may think they know him well, but "The Great Reformer: Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope" looks deeper into the life and workings of Jorge Bergoglio, his simplicity and life experience in Argentina, and what we may expect of him as the 266th pope.
The author provides a comprehensive analysis of the maturing of Jorge Bergoglio from his humble beginning as the son of Italian immigrants in Argentina. There is interesting history throughout regarding the Juan Peron years, the missing people, his being expelled from his Jesuit community because of his work with the poor, his surprise assignment as a bishop of Buenos Aires, his leadership in the Latin American bishops' conference and his time as archbishop and cardinal of Buenos Aires.
The story reads like something only the Holy Spirit could have made happen. In many places, I thought of his saintliness in line with some of the great saints in Church history.
I almost dismissed the book when I first saw the title, thinking, "He has not yet reformed the Catholic Church as pope." But "The Great Reformer" deals with his efforts in the Latin Church, in his Jesuit society and in the community at large and in supporting the poor in the barrios of Argentina. It touches on areas in the Roman Curia that he is only beginning to work on.
Francis preached on the sin of spiritual worldliness, of Church leaders who strayed from taking care of the outcasts of society. He sees the middle and upper class as not his prime focus. This would later bring him ostracization from his beloved Jesuits.
Padre Bergoglio was constantly in the barrios, catechizing, street preaching, mixing with poor families, prostitutes and tattooed young men and eating and sharing with them, looking for ways to help them out of their poverty. While fellow Jesuits were seeking intellectual pursuits, Bergoglio would be working with seminarians, whether slopping pigs on a farm or catechizing children. He was not above any task.
I found his devotion to "Mary, Untier of Knots" and St. Therese fascinating. When all seemed lost in some of his experiences, Mary seemed to give him peace and worked through thorny issues so that he could move forward. In so many instances where he believed St. Therese was involved, a white rose would show up for him.
During his speech before the papal conclave prior to his election as pope, Francis talked about the need to put "theorizing and analyzing" aside and get working. He called for an end to the "'self-reverential Church' and to let Jesus out." After the speech, he found in his room a white rose.
Francis' efforts to reform the Roman Curia seems of little importance to most Catholics, who generally are not aware of all the departments and workings of the Vatican. The pope had been on the receiving end of bad and inscrutable demands from Rome on a number of occasions while a priest, seminary rector, archbishop and cardinal. He saw the curia as bloated, bureaucratic and overbearing in its programs to deal with the Church leadership in the trenches, where different pastoral approaches are required for different areas of the world.
Radical leaders can be deeply appealing but not universally liked. In general, Francis is loved by the poor and looked on with some concern by the upper class and intellectuals. The author provides numerous examples where his words were taken out of context by the media to fit a desired sound bite. In his reform efforts, he has not changed one item of doctrine, but wants it presented in a more pastoral manner.
Over and over, I found the workings of the Holy Spirit so much alive in Jorge Bergoglio in leading him to become our current Pope Francis. Many of the ups and downs he experienced were similar to Abraham Lincoln's many frustrations: a few wins, followed by people turning against him, including government and Church leadership. In the end, he rises above all to become the next pope.
At times, I thought I was reading a script for a movie, but this is the real thing! I highly recommend the book to all, especially readers who fear his possible backtracking on important Church issues, those who fear he is not going far enough and those who think he is a socialist. Be ready for some surprises.
(Mr. Havasy is a parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church in Glenville and graduate of the Albany Diocese's Formation for Ministry Program.)[[In-content Ad]]
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