Earthly Mission: The Catholic Church and World Development

by Robert Calderisi

A lively investigation of the Catholic Church and its controversial social mission in the developing world

With 1.2 billion members, the Catholic Church is the world’s largest organization and perhaps its most controversial. The Church’s obstinacy on matters like clerical celibacy, the role of women, birth control, and the child abuse scandal has alienated many Catholics, especially in the West. Yet in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the Church is highly esteemed for its support of education, health, and social justice. In this deeply informed book, Robert Calderisi unravels the paradoxes of the Catholic Church’s role in the developing world over the past 60 years.

Has the Catholic Church on balance been a force for good? Calderisi weighs the Church’s various missteps and poor decisions against its positive contributions, looking back as far as the Spanish Conquest in Latin America and the arrival of missionaries in Africa and Asia. He also looks forward, highlighting difficult issues that threaten to disrupt the Church's future social role. The author’s answer to the question he poses will fascinate Catholic and non-Catholic readers alike, providing a wealth of insights into international affairs, development economics, humanitarian concerns, history, and theology.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Julian Douglass · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an OK book. It was basically a summary of how the church helps or is attempting to help the developing world. Nothing insightful or thought provoking, merely a brief survey of the title of the book. I wish there was more of a thesis and an argument to the book, but it was a decent read to learn about a subject that I know very little of.

[Kathie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you'd like to read something good about the Catholic Church, this is the book for you. Now don't let me mislead you into thinking that this is merely a book of praise for Roman Catholicism. Calderisi gives a pretty balanced picture and points out those areas and missions where the Church has sadly failed by being unable or unwilling to speak up for those who are most vulnerable. Still it is heartening to know the contributions the Church has made in developing countries. Perhaps we'll see even more of this good work under Pope Francis.

[TWAndini__ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to understand for non-catholic. This book talked about the church history and its role in global development. The part that I loved from this book is the critical reflection how church responded to the genocide and also dealings with the HIV/AIDS pandemic.