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Pope Francis: Pastor of Mercy
Understanding the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio is essential to understanding how Pope Francis shepherds his flock - and the key is mercy.
What exactly do people find so attractive about Pope Francis? There is something about him that captivates and delights people, even people who hardly know anything about him.
Aldo Cagnoli, a layman who developed a friendship with the Pope when he was serving as a cardinal, shares the following: “The greatness of the man, in my humble opinion lies not in building walls or seeking refuge behind his wisdom and office, but rather in dealing with everyone judiciously, respectfully, and with humility, being willing to learn at any moment of life; that is what Father Bergoglio means to me.”
This book uncovers the life of the 266th Bishop of Rome, Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
What exactly do people find so attractive about Pope Francis? There is something about him that captivates and delights people, even people who hardly know anything about him.
Aldo Cagnoli, a layman who developed a friendship with the Pope when he was serving as a cardinal, shares the following: “The greatness of the man, in my humble opinion lies not in building walls or seeking refuge behind his wisdom and office, but rather in dealing with everyone judiciously, respectfully, and with humility, being willing to learn at any moment of life; that is what Father Bergoglio means to me.”
This book uncovers the life of the 266th Bishop of Rome, Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
173 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2013
231 people are currently reading
825 people want to read
About the author
Michael J. Ruszala
15 books13 followersMichael J. Ruszala holds an M.A. in Theology & Christian Ministry and a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology summa cum laude from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Michael is the author of several religious books and is an adjunct lecturer in religious studies at Niagara University in Lewiston, NY, where he has taught on Christian Ministry and Popes in the Modern World. Certified as a parish catechetical leader by the Diocese of Buffalo, he served for over five years as Director of Lifelong Faith Formation at a parish within the diocese. He is an active member of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists, has served in the past on catechetical committees for the Diocese of Buffalo, and is the recipient of the 2016 Christian Service Award from the Canisius College Sodality of Our Lady in Buffalo. Michael has been published in religious journals including the Social Justice Review, the Catholic Social Science Review, Lay Witness online edition, and the Great Adventure Bible Blog by Ascension Press. In addition to his work, Michael has interests in music, art, tennis, and kayaking. Please visit www.michaeljruszala.com for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
May 14, 2025
EBK-M, Kindle, @ 11/10/2013, Read 5/13/2025, Biography, Nonfiction.
An interesting book that I had on my TBR List, that I decided to read in the aftermath of Pope Francis's death. I am not Catholic, but since he became the Pope, I felt he was truly a man of God. His humility seemed to be an inspiration to many, his strong focus on the poor was very God-like, and his work within the Church was an example of the continuing need for reform. His actions as Pope Francis were a model of spirituality and faith.
3☆'s = Good.
An interesting book that I had on my TBR List, that I decided to read in the aftermath of Pope Francis's death. I am not Catholic, but since he became the Pope, I felt he was truly a man of God. His humility seemed to be an inspiration to many, his strong focus on the poor was very God-like, and his work within the Church was an example of the continuing need for reform. His actions as Pope Francis were a model of spirituality and faith.
3☆'s = Good.
July 29, 2014
Very informative about how Pope Francis grew up and his accomplishments amidst harsh times. I am not Catholic yet still enjoyed the short read. I skimmed through the last chapter about the rosary, but did look at what prayers the different beads and chains represented.
October 13, 2014
If you are looking for a interesting summary of his life so far, this is a good book to read. It covers enough details to get an idea of the things that have shaped his life. Quick easy read!
October 15, 2017
Review: Pope Francis by Michael J. Ruszala.
Who is Jorge Bergoglio? This is a well written book about the 266th Bishop of Rome who is now Pope Francis. It’s a very trustworthy account of Gorge Bergoglio’s growing up years and the many acts of kindness, events, as he walked the path to his place as Pope Francis. He is a man who lived amongst the poor and forgotten. I have not met Pope Francis but after reading this book I feel I know him. He sounds like he’s an outstanding person and he claims his key to everything is, “Mercy”.
His life began in Buenos Aires, Argentina and born to a family of Italian Immigrants who escaped Italy from the Mussolini’s fascist regime. Pope Francis is the eldest of five siblings. He saw and learned from an early age the inconsistently between the poor and rich that would later encompass his thoughts, behavior and actions he displays over the years. He has already proven to us that luxuries are not on his agenda. He just opens his heart and walks amongst people letting them know that they are not forgotten and they are loved…
The message he engages is for people to know who they are, where their hearts could be, and what they could do for others. His credence is assisting with humility and rejecting the specialties Pope’s are given today. He entered the priesthood at the age of seventeen; he spent some years teaching philosophy, theology among other subjects and followed the path of his faith. He is now seventy-six and I hope he has many more years.
The way the world is now Pope Francis has many issues that we place in front of him and I feel he isn’t going to shy away or back down. He’s going to face the issues of abortion, same sex marriage, and women being ordained Priest, amongst other issues as the Catholic scandal and pray to bring people’s faith and belief’s back to the church…..
Pope Francis only wants us to say a prayer for him…
Who is Jorge Bergoglio? This is a well written book about the 266th Bishop of Rome who is now Pope Francis. It’s a very trustworthy account of Gorge Bergoglio’s growing up years and the many acts of kindness, events, as he walked the path to his place as Pope Francis. He is a man who lived amongst the poor and forgotten. I have not met Pope Francis but after reading this book I feel I know him. He sounds like he’s an outstanding person and he claims his key to everything is, “Mercy”.
His life began in Buenos Aires, Argentina and born to a family of Italian Immigrants who escaped Italy from the Mussolini’s fascist regime. Pope Francis is the eldest of five siblings. He saw and learned from an early age the inconsistently between the poor and rich that would later encompass his thoughts, behavior and actions he displays over the years. He has already proven to us that luxuries are not on his agenda. He just opens his heart and walks amongst people letting them know that they are not forgotten and they are loved…
The message he engages is for people to know who they are, where their hearts could be, and what they could do for others. His credence is assisting with humility and rejecting the specialties Pope’s are given today. He entered the priesthood at the age of seventeen; he spent some years teaching philosophy, theology among other subjects and followed the path of his faith. He is now seventy-six and I hope he has many more years.
The way the world is now Pope Francis has many issues that we place in front of him and I feel he isn’t going to shy away or back down. He’s going to face the issues of abortion, same sex marriage, and women being ordained Priest, amongst other issues as the Catholic scandal and pray to bring people’s faith and belief’s back to the church…..
Pope Francis only wants us to say a prayer for him…
September 6, 2015
I am very interested in learning about Pope Francis, but I found this book to a poor resource for that quest. It’s a very imcomplete overview of the Pope’s life that basically compiles ideas from other books without any real original thoughts of it’s own. This book constantly leaves topics without fully explaining them, but rather, refers the reader to a different book to get the fuller understanding of the situation. That is fine for a few instances, but this occurs frequently in this book. I will be on the lookout now for a better book on the Pope.
June 29, 2014
This was an interesting book, but not being a Catholic it left me often confused with the religious terms and Latin phrases. I wanted to learn about the man more than the church, but they are so entwined that you can't have one without the other. Still, I did learn a lot about both.
September 9, 2014
I enjoyed reading this book
I am a singer and a lapsed Catholic. This man has given me a new spirit of hope. I don't know if I will live long enough to see his spirit come to America, but I can hope.
I am a singer and a lapsed Catholic. This man has given me a new spirit of hope. I don't know if I will live long enough to see his spirit come to America, but I can hope.
July 22, 2014
Very informative. I was curious about the man. I have to say I think it would behoove all of us to emulate his humility and care for the less fortunate of this world!
September 18, 2014
A glimpse into a Pope who has embraced many and helped to open wide the doors of the church.
May 16, 2024
I have read several biographies lately, and plan to read more. I enjoyed reading about this godly man and surely feel he deserves to be pope. Jorge Mario Bergoglio moved from Italy to Argentina in 1929 to escape the tyranny of Benito Mussolini's dictatorship.
I'm not catholic, but I highly respect their popes. I remember thinking Pope John Paul was a wonderful Pope, too. Both John Paul and Francis have similar personalities--humble, loving, caring for others much more than themselves.
So many firsts with Pope Francis-- 1st South American pope,1st Jesuit Pope, 1st Francis. His background sounds very normal. He played basketball and soccer. He dated and danced. He studied chemistry and was educated in Catholic schools. His first job was as a cleaner in a hosiery factory in high school, then he took a job as a chemist in a factory.
At age 17, he felt the call to become a priest. He took his first vows at age 24 in 1960. He taught in several Jesuit schools, then became ordained. He earned degrees in philosophy and theology.
After 15 years of preparation, he took his 2nd vows, and was given the huge honor of Provincial Superior of their Argentine Province.
He made mistakes along the way, but realized them and sought forgiveness. 1976 was a time of rebellion in Argentina. Dictator Videla was tyrant that had secret police torturing, and killing thousands. They especially didn't like christians helping the poor, fearing the poor would unite and overthrow their corrupt government. Bergoglio hid many people and smuggled them out of the country.
Pope Francis was totally shocked and humbled when he became Pope. He continues to shun many of the perks that are offered to popes. He is very genuine in his love for the poor and the underdogs of society. He is very conservative, yet he is so concerned for the souls of all that he admits he wants everyone to feel welcome in the church. This includes divorcees, homosexuals, and those questioning their gender.
I'm not catholic, but I highly respect their popes. I remember thinking Pope John Paul was a wonderful Pope, too. Both John Paul and Francis have similar personalities--humble, loving, caring for others much more than themselves.
So many firsts with Pope Francis-- 1st South American pope,1st Jesuit Pope, 1st Francis. His background sounds very normal. He played basketball and soccer. He dated and danced. He studied chemistry and was educated in Catholic schools. His first job was as a cleaner in a hosiery factory in high school, then he took a job as a chemist in a factory.
At age 17, he felt the call to become a priest. He took his first vows at age 24 in 1960. He taught in several Jesuit schools, then became ordained. He earned degrees in philosophy and theology.
After 15 years of preparation, he took his 2nd vows, and was given the huge honor of Provincial Superior of their Argentine Province.
He made mistakes along the way, but realized them and sought forgiveness. 1976 was a time of rebellion in Argentina. Dictator Videla was tyrant that had secret police torturing, and killing thousands. They especially didn't like christians helping the poor, fearing the poor would unite and overthrow their corrupt government. Bergoglio hid many people and smuggled them out of the country.
Pope Francis was totally shocked and humbled when he became Pope. He continues to shun many of the perks that are offered to popes. He is very genuine in his love for the poor and the underdogs of society. He is very conservative, yet he is so concerned for the souls of all that he admits he wants everyone to feel welcome in the church. This includes divorcees, homosexuals, and those questioning their gender.
February 21, 2019
Another quick read from the publishers at Wyatt North. I learned a lot of interesting tidbits about this humble and sincere personage to the papacy, but it was just that. Tidbits. This book is perfect for those that want a brief, quick read about the life of Pope Francis, but you're mostly getting surface-quality information. Most content within these pages is derived from fuller, more established works about the man formerly known as Jorge Bergoglio, and you can really tell the difference in the quality of quotes from outside sources vs. the original content.
The greater downside to this book on Pope Francis in comparison with Wyatt North's releases about Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI is the timeframe. For publication, John Paul II was dead and Benedict XVI had resigned the papacy, so those works presented an overview of their respective tenures as leaders of the Catholic Church. In contrast, this release occurred early on into Pope Francis' governance, so there is a relative dearth of information on the most important aspect of his life. What's present is worthwhile; it just leaves you feeling a bit incomplete.
The greater downside to this book on Pope Francis in comparison with Wyatt North's releases about Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI is the timeframe. For publication, John Paul II was dead and Benedict XVI had resigned the papacy, so those works presented an overview of their respective tenures as leaders of the Catholic Church. In contrast, this release occurred early on into Pope Francis' governance, so there is a relative dearth of information on the most important aspect of his life. What's present is worthwhile; it just leaves you feeling a bit incomplete.
February 22, 2019
Genuinely awesome person.
Pope Francis may take some heat for the handling of child sexual abuse by priests but he seems to me (a "former" Catholic) to be the read deal. His humble, genuine love for people, especially those who have been disenfranchised, certainly represents our savior Jesus Christ to this very troubled & hurting world. Pope Francis has & is trying to steer the Catholic Church in the right direction. Not the best biography I've ever read but his story is inspirational & amazing.
Pope Francis may take some heat for the handling of child sexual abuse by priests but he seems to me (a "former" Catholic) to be the read deal. His humble, genuine love for people, especially those who have been disenfranchised, certainly represents our savior Jesus Christ to this very troubled & hurting world. Pope Francis has & is trying to steer the Catholic Church in the right direction. Not the best biography I've ever read but his story is inspirational & amazing.
July 4, 2017
Enjoyable book that gives us more knowledge of Pope Frances
The author has written a book on the life of the man who became a priest, bishop and even Pope. He has done an excellent job of telling his story of fighting for the poor and under privileged members of society. I have a better understanding of what and why he does the thing he does and the way he leads.
The author has written a book on the life of the man who became a priest, bishop and even Pope. He has done an excellent job of telling his story of fighting for the poor and under privileged members of society. I have a better understanding of what and why he does the thing he does and the way he leads.
April 27, 2018
Well written, lots of unnecessary info
While this book was very well written and gives a ton of information about the Pope, I’m not sure I would recommend to someone without a warning.
Warning: This book has many references inside the content, gives a lot of unneeded background information and the author goes off on tangents on a frequent basis.
While this book was very well written and gives a ton of information about the Pope, I’m not sure I would recommend to someone without a warning.
Warning: This book has many references inside the content, gives a lot of unneeded background information and the author goes off on tangents on a frequent basis.
June 4, 2020
A biography of Pope Francis
The author does well of digging into Pope Francis’ background. Much of his childhood and his rising among his religions positions is explained.
A worthwhile book if you’re interested in learning about his background and why he believes what he believes.
The author does well of digging into Pope Francis’ background. Much of his childhood and his rising among his religions positions is explained.
A worthwhile book if you’re interested in learning about his background and why he believes what he believes.
July 1, 2017
Pope
I am not Catholic but am intrigued by other religions and the 'higher-ups' who lead. Pope Francis seems to be a person of genuineness, intelligence and love. A well written book full of hope. Highly recommend.
I am not Catholic but am intrigued by other religions and the 'higher-ups' who lead. Pope Francis seems to be a person of genuineness, intelligence and love. A well written book full of hope. Highly recommend.
November 28, 2019
Excellent Insight Into Pope Francis And His Lifestyle.
Seldom do I find a book that instructs on how to pray the Rosary correctly, albeit a Catholic school graduate and very informative on the lifestyle of Pope Francis who prays the Rosary daily.
Seldom do I find a book that instructs on how to pray the Rosary correctly, albeit a Catholic school graduate and very informative on the lifestyle of Pope Francis who prays the Rosary daily.
October 30, 2020
I already really love Pope Francis so this book only managed to deepen that. It was a quick, light read that really covered his life. It did seem a bit abrupt in ending as it moved to how to pray the rosary, however.
June 26, 2017
Pope Francis' life is one blessed. His humanity and humility is one to be admired.
June 30, 2017
Easy interesting Summary of his life
July 5, 2017
Beautiful
A look into the life and teachings of Pope Francis. Inspirational to Catholics and non-Catholics to practice a life of love and honor to others.
A look into the life and teachings of Pope Francis. Inspirational to Catholics and non-Catholics to practice a life of love and honor to others.
July 9, 2017
Boring and formulaic. Written on a YA level. It could have been so much more interesting and informative.
July 20, 2017
Good and easy read
Love the simplicity of the book while still providing a great look into the Pope's life. I really enjoyed reading it.
Love the simplicity of the book while still providing a great look into the Pope's life. I really enjoyed reading it.
September 3, 2017
I wanted to learn more about this Pope than I've read in magazine articles - I didn't. And most magazine articles are better written.
May 4, 2018
From reading this book, I learned the pope is a man of amazing humility. He is a beautiful example of putting others first.
May 10, 2018
I liked this book. I didn't really know very much about the history of Pope Francis, or what his childhood/young adult life was like before reading this book. Interesting!
April 3, 2019
Very Enlightening
So much of what Pope Francis has said has been taken out of context by other religions, and it’s good to see it explained it print. I really enjoyed the book.
So much of what Pope Francis has said has been taken out of context by other religions, and it’s good to see it explained it print. I really enjoyed the book.
March 30, 2020
I enjoyed this book very much. Informative and a way to know more about the Pope.
April 15, 2020
This is definitely worth reading. There's some pretty good quotes in this book.
June 21, 2025
This is a good overview of Pope Francis' elevation to the papacy and his early pontificate.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews