Franziskus unter Wölfen. Der Papst und seine Feinde

by Marco Politi, Gabriele Stein (Übersetzerin)

Franziskus revolutioniert die Kirche. Und nicht nur die Kirche: Er meldet sich zu sozialen Fragen zu Wort, mischt sich politisch ein. Er ist das, was ein Papst sein soll: ein wacher Warner und mutiger Mahner. Doch dadurch macht er sich auch Feinde innerhalb und außerhalb des Vatikans. Und so wird eine Frage immer drängender: Kann der Papst diesen entscheidenden Kampf um die Reform und die Zukunft der Kirche gewinnen? Ein spektakulärer Blick hinter die Kulissen – von einem bekannten Vatikan-Insider.

Genres: Religion, Biography, Nonfiction, Christianity

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2014

About the author

Marco Politi è un giornalista e scrittore italiano, specializzato nelle cronache e nella politica vaticana.

Reviews

[BlackOxford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vatican Follies

Not quite a revolution but certainly a cabinet shuffle.

Political parties are banned within the Catholic Church. The prohibition, of course, doesn't stop politics nor the creation of organised factions to promote policy changes. But the politics and factional rivalry resemble that of a Stalinist or Maoist state. Rumour and innuendo, not press conferences, are the preferred modes of communication.

Another complicating factor in Vatican politics is that religious belief is not entirely separate from organisational policy. This is evident, for example, in issues like the status of divorced Catholics. Their admission to sacraments is in one sense their own business since only God and their consciences know their spiritual state.

But to leave matters to God and conscience is not something senior clerics are wont to do. For them wars may be a matter of the toleration of human weakness, and clerical sexual perversion may demand understanding and charity. But the possibility of losing control over the marital status of Church-members demands strict and unambiguous policies. Who's in and who's out is the most fundamental corporate power. Mostly, the policies at issue involve not the inseparability of partners but church-control over separability. Only the Church can join; so only the Church can separate. It's about power not grace.

Pope Francis is having a pretty hard time trying to convince his fellow Princes of the Church that their mission is the salvation of souls through example and virtue rather than the preservation of organisational power by position and fiat. He's more or less equivalent to Donald Trump at a meeting of the American Civil Liberties Union and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

His colleagues know they can wait him out. And if they lose the occasional skirmish, well there is nothing that can't be corrected in time. Most of these men are what are called in America 'strict constructionists.' That is to say, they believe that the interpretation which they put on scriptural and other historical documents are definitive. Why? Because they are convinced of it, they are men of faith.

So unlike Stalinist or Maoist politics, Francis cannot condemn or even criticise his political opponents. They in turn cannot be seen to undermine much less depose him of the papal office. So a sort of ballet in slow motion is taking place within the Vatican. It is a dance that may not mean much to or for the rest of us, but only because it has been going on for so many centuries that the institution of the Church has already destroyed its own credibility and moral authority.

[Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read for anybody, Catholic or not, who is interested in Rome's newest Bishop. Here's my review: http://bookinwithsunny.com/when-in-ro...

[William Nist · Rating 5 out of 5]

The western world, both Christian and Secular, seems impressed if not downright infatuated with Pope Francis. Maybe he does represent a revolution, or maybe it is just a return, to a more authentic portrait of Jesus and his message. In either case, I don't think there is any denying that he is the most distinctive voice in religion today.

This work is a behind the scenes, thoughtful, analysis of the church that Francis inherited, concentrating on the major problems the church faces, and the situation that the previous pope left behind with his historic resignation. Whether it is the Vatican bank scandals, the conflicting ecclesial theologies, the issue of vocations and women; the agenda of this pope is extensive and fraught with dangers.

Despite is popularity with people, the clerical leadership of his own church presents an immense obstacle to his vision of Roman Catholicism. They are entrenched in curial and local administrations (especially in Italy) that do not respond to Francis's more participatory model of church. The thrust of this book is to detail this opposition, naming names, and exposing strategies.

As a former Catholic, whose low Christology finally pushed him out of the church, I root for this pope, but I am not optimistic that it will save Catholicism. We are on the same side on many issues (including the critical one of man made dangerous climate change), but it still seems impossible to move forward until population control and universal human rights (women and LGBT) are addressed. And this would take a change in doctrines, which the church is loath to contemplate.

For addicts of ecclesial issues though, this a a great read...a real insight into what is going on right now in the largest Christian denomination. If I thought prayer had any efficacy, I would be praying for this man.

[Jim Lavis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pope Francis is amazing and impresses me to no end. He is a sage and a true leader with a vision and the courage to foster change within a church that is trying to survive the twenty-first century.

He’s a humble man focusing on being of service to his parishioners, and he reminds me of Mother Teresa in the way he challenges the status quo and disrupts traditions that are not focused on compassion and service.

He’s a bit of a maverick when it comes to his dress and refusing to follow the norms and traditions that don’t fit his beliefs. I think we were all a bit surprised when he chose to live in a small apartment rather than the traditional palace within the Vatican. Furthermore, his other unique choices such as not using motorcycle escorts and guards with chauffeured driven limousines and not wearing fancy clothing like the traditional red shoes Popes wore is definitely a change.

I was surprised and alarmed how pompous so many of the practices of the past Pope’s have been and how much of that was all ego based and narcissistic.

This Pope is restructuring the church in so many ways and has aggressively removed hundreds of Bishops and Cardinals to make this a reality. He’s a man that supports interfaith ministries and has encouraged people of different faiths to cherish and embrace their faiths, and for those non-believers, he supports their rights as well.

This book has opened my eyes on many of the challenges the church is facing and it also educated me regarding some of the infrastructure within the church. The Vatican has 5,000 employees and supports its own bank with $1.1 billion in assets. The church also supports 8,000 priests and nuns and 700 diplomats. The church owns 20% of the real-estate in Italy valued at $1,000 billion and that doesn’t include the Vatican which is valued at $9 billion.

I’m an ex-catholic and I could go on and one about all the insights this book has given me, but let’s just say, it was a good investment of my time, and I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the current and historic understanding of this wonderful faith.

[Nicolás Jiménez · Rating 5 out of 5]

una investigación periodística que muestra otros lados y facetas del Papa Francisco. Jorge Mario Bergoglio es un hombre sumamente interesante, y este libro es la ferviente prueba.

[Garnette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book to gain a better understanding of the popular excitement created in response to the changes initiated by Pope Francis. I usually prefer history to books about current events which are so often colored by the authors' biases. (Of course, the same is true of histories, but perhaps the passage of time allows for a little more objectivity.) Politi joins his voice to the widespread support for Pope Francis from among Catholic laity and non-Catholics as well. He describes a Church in crisis, with large numbers of Catholics rejecting fundamental doctrines against divorce and contraception, and sharp reductions in the numbers of practicing Catholics,and entering priests and nuns. Francis wants to make the church relevant as a voice for peace, for the poor, to end an obsession with rigid doctrinal prescriptions and emphasize pastoral care. But Politi describes him as largely alone in the Vatican, fighting the wolves of a church bureaucracy stubbornly resistant to change and protective of its privileges. Of course, large entrenched bureaucracies will always work to protect the wealth and privileges of those at the top. The financial scandals, corruption, collusion with organized crime, and child abuse cover ups must be rectified. Changing fundamental church doctrines, on the other hand, raises the question: to what degree is church doctrine a reflection eternal truths or should it adapt to changes in modern society? These changes, particularly the increased influence of Cardinals from outside Europe, do promise a revolution. But Popes come and go quickly and unexpectedly, frequently reversing the decisions of their predecessors. It's interesting that Politi portrays Benedict VI's decision to resign as "noble, humble and courageous," a recognition that the Church needed to make changes that he was not able to effect. This is a quick read and, for a non-Catholic, a revelation on the workings of the Church.

[mahatmanto · Rating 4 out of 5]

sebagaimana tradisi vatican,
terpilihnya paus baru selalu disertai penerbitan buku entah mengenai pemikiran teologisnya, kebiasaan personalnya,... pendeknya informasi mengenai pimpinan dari organisasi paling terpusat dan penuh rahasia di dunia ini.
demikian pula dengan buku ini. yang terbit kurang lebih bersamaan dengan terbitnya banyak buku lain dengan topik serupa: mengenalkan pemimpin tertinggi umat kristen yang berpusat di roma.
tiap buku mengambil perspektif yang diusahakan unik. dan buku ini memberi judul bagus sekali: "paus fransiskus di antara serigala-serigala"

judul buku sudah menjelaskan bahwa buku ini akan mendudukkan topik terpilihnya bergoglio sebagai paus dan mengambil nama fransiskus, sebagai respons gereja katolik dalam upaya membersihkan diri dari korupsi dan berbagai skandal yang selama ini tersembunyi.
buku ini mencitrakan paus baru sebagai st.fransiskus asisi masa kini, yang seperti dulu merasa terpanggil untuk merenovasi gereja. membangun ulang gereja yang mulai rapuh karena kejahatan-kejahatan internalnya. dan sekarang, bergoglio yang menyandang nama fransiskus pun mengemban tugas yang sama.
kesamaan itu lebih lanjut diintensifkan dengan judul yang mirip dialami st. fransiskus dulu. bila dulu beliau bisa menjinakkan serigala yang ngamuk, maka kini paus fransiskus diminta juga menundukkan "serigala2 yang mengamuk "di dalam gerejanya.

saya senang buku ini karena meskipun dikisahkan dengan biasa tapi ada keterbukaan gereja untuk mengoreksi diri sendiri dengan membiarkan kasusnya ke publik dan meminta partisipasi publik untuk ikut mengawasi. paling tidak, ucapan bergoglio beberapa saat setelah diangkat jadi paus, ia meminta agar didoakan oleh umat. peristiwa langka yang menandai momen transparansi organisasi keagamaan paling terpusat dan misterius ini.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

More in-depth than I wanted. But these quotes caused me to pause and contemplate:
"Let us not enslave ourselves to a virtually paranoid defense of 'our truth' (if I have it, he doesn't.)."
"Every sin can be pardoned... It is unthinkable that someone falls into a black hole from which God cannot extract him."
"The way of the church is not to condemn anyone forever."

[Hugo Gomez · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's lamentable how quickly this book deteriorated. It began heroically, depicting Pope Francis in a supernatural light by the poverty and humility with which he was such a grand example as Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
pg 59 p2 end. The First sign. The author thinks that the Church has 'A tangle of problems' it must resolve. Among them listed were contraception, sexuality, and same-sex relationships.
The problem with contraception, the author says, is that no one really cares about what the Church teaches about it. Yet it is true: It is practically ignored by an overwhelming amount of the faithful who are just too ignorance to understand that contraceptives, the pill in particular, is an abortifacient. And that not even a serial abortionist--that is, a woman who has two, three or more abortions--have had as many micro abortions as those who do not understand the devastating impact and reality of contraceptives to their lives and the lives of their destroyed children, which they callously flush down the toilet after a late period. Is this true? Without a doubt. Do persons who practice the pill, or estrogen supplementation, understand that it does NOT prevent conception? No, most of them do not.
The author believes the Church to be overly obsessed with peoples sexuality and that we should entirely respect 'functional' and 'responsible unions' and avoid the usage of terms such as unnatural or sodomy. Indeed, sodomy is not even mentioned in this book. It is an offensive word to most same sex minded folk. I won't spend too much time sharing my views here, so let's continue with the author's.

Pg81 "Diverse versions of reality" paragraph 2. I believe people can read a little too much into a statement. The Pope, in a conversation about atheists or non-believers, is asked about condemnation and judgement towards these contrary or unaffiliated souls. He responds that we can respect such persons, regardless of their position, but that even still, these same people, while not holding on to any definite doctrine or set of beliefs, are STILL going to be held to account by their conscience. And unless a person is entirely devoid of possessing a healthy objective view of the world, each one's version of reality should speak to them. This turns into nonsense and insanity in a world that presumes subjective views as predominant.

Pg90 Chp8 "The hidden Women Priests" What more can I add to this? This is the heading of the chapter. It is enough to show Mary as the most perfect example of a creature that could have ever been, short of the incarnate God. She had no flaw and her devotion to God was perfect. Yet she was not made a priest by her son. I think this says enough. That it is enough to not put yourself forward and use Mary as the prime exemplar of a females role in the Church. Mary was obedient to her son in all things and won herself the everlasting love of Christ and his apostles by being His mother and their mother. It is MOTHERHOOD that exemplifies a woman's role, not power and authority. Ambition is a foul and bitter trait in men, how much more abominable when it is found in a creature endowed and purposed to manifest Grace.

Pg101-102 Whole. Controversy? Reforms. And on 103 blasphemy: "All must eat" "But no one must be excluded from the banquet." The author makes, what he thinks, are excellent examples of why female ordination is inevitable. That it is already taking place in some churches, in all but name the women there are leading the entire congregation and even breaking the bread (which we must all assume has been pre-consecrated by an ordained priest) and is already hearing confessions, though without the authority to absolve. ...I have to say, some of these expressions given as examples of this particular group sound much too similar to Gnostic utterances, so vague but supposedly profound. Such nonsense does not edify the souls of a community -- it only puts salve on mortal wounds.

Pg125 2p "polls" concerning priestly marriage and female ordination.
Pg225 1p reference to a book entitled Permanere nella verita di Cristo. There is no shortage of opposition to this Pope, though he is seeing the wounds of all our people so clearly. If leadership, for once, stopped antagonizing and insulting Pope Francis and actually started to ACT LIKE HIM, we would not be falling into the oblivion we are sliding into on both sides. One one side the blindness to and repose in sin on one side, sliding fast into every nauseating curve of misery and into hell; and on the other the callousness and presumption of Traditionalists who have forgotten their own sins.
Liberals read into this Pope's actions as much as stringent conservatists do. But what is he REALLY saying? What was the context of some phrasing and meaning? In love, you could truly know and compassion would show you that nothing at all need be added or changed in our Catechism at all to fulfill all these things our Pope is asking of us. To bring the world back to peace, to confidence and to truth.

[yexxo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seit Franziskus Papst ist, sind Dinge geschehen, die sich viele Menschen, Gläubige wie Nichtgläubige, wohl nicht einmal im Traume hätten vorstellen können. Worte wie Mitgefühl, Empathie, Demut, Verständnis und vor allem Liebe sind die wohl kennzeichnenden Begriffe Franziskus', die er nicht nur benutzt, sondern auch vor den Augen der Welt mit voller Überzeugung lebt.
Marco Politi beschreibt in seinem Buch detailliert, wie der Papst, dem der Titel 'Bischof von Rom' wesentlich besser gefällt, mit seiner ganzen Kraft versucht, die oben genannten Werte in seiner Kirche wieder an die erste Stelle zu setzen. Es widert ihn regelrecht an, wie Viele versuchen, sich an ihr Prestige und ihre Macht zu klammern, als sei dies ihnen von Gott gegeben. Und wie diese davon überzeugt sind, die katholische Kirche sei nur durch Gehorsam und Unterwerfung zu führen. Für Franziskus hingegen ist es ein Miteinander auf allen Ebenen mit dem Ziel, den Menschen zur Seite zu stehen, unabhänigig davon welchen Glaubens sie sind.
Für den großen Teil der derzeit herrschenden Nomenklatura ist dies natürlich ein Affront ersten Ranges. So ist es nicht weiter verwunderlich, dass Franziskus durch die 'normalen' Menschen mehr Unterstützung und Zustimmung erfährt als aus den eigenen kirchlichen Reihen, die befürchten, ihrer Privilegien beraubt zu werden. So wird versucht mit Gerüchten, aber auch völlig offen Franziskus' Status zu demontieren, ihn der Unfähigkeit zu bezichtigen. Bisher glücklicherweise noch ohne viel Erfolg.
Das Buch beschreibt die verschiedenen Bereiche, die der Papst sich zu ändern vorgenommen hat. Finanzielle Transaktionen, Stellung der Frauen in der Kirche, resolute Abgrenzung zur Mafia, Aufgaben der Kurie - das ist nur ein Teil seines großen Aufgabengebietes. Der Autor belegt mit 349 Fußnoten die Echtheit seiner Aussagen und so war ich beim Lesen nur noch am Kopfschütteln über das bisherige Gebaren der katholischen Würdenträger. Gut, es war schon Einiges bekannt, aber was sich hier noch auftut ... Was all dies noch mit dem Christentum zu tun haben soll, ist wohl das Geheimnis der römischen Kurie.
Franziskus' Aufgabe ist eine riesige und es ist bewunderungswürdig, mit welcher Kraft und welchem Optimismus er daran geht, sie zu bewältigen. Es ist wohl sein Glaube, der ihn so beflügelt. Und den er in einer Art und Weise lebt, dass man auch als Nichtgläubige/r das Christentum in einer anderen Art und Weise zu betrachten beginnt.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book about what changes Pope Francis wanted to be made in how the church treated everyone, regardless of a label. Thereof course was and still is a big lash towards what he wants to be done to the point where people, churches and even dioceses are still allowing practices from old to be taught through actions and sometimes words. Being a Catholic I for one was glad the way he spoke and for the reasons he said. I believe if Jesus walked on this Earth he would be with the people that the so-called normal ones who are condemning him and others would be not looking at Jesus favorable because we really are to love one another. The pope growing up the way he did and seeing everything he did is trying to make a difference and really that is what as Catholics we should want. He cannot criticize others against him for them they would use his own words against him. This Pope already came in with the idea that certain things needed to be changed one was the bank of the Vatican which Popes ahead of him did not, which he did and changing the way we speak and towards are fellow humans whether Catholic or not should just be the way you teach your children, but somewhere we forgot the golden rule, “Do unto others as they would do unto you”. I found this book to be very informative and a good read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Cecilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An English translation written in Italian, it is an interesting and enlightening book. The topic is Jorge Martio Bergoglio, formerly archbishop of Buenos Aires who became pope and took the name Pope Francis. He was elected in March 2013 and continues in that office today.

The depth and breadth of scandal within the Vatican in terms of money laundering, sexual transgressions, resistance by the politically entrenched clergy to change, not to mention divorce and homosexuality is touched on repeatedly throughout the book.

Pope Francis is trying, against enormous resistance, to bring the office and person of the pope back to the Christ-like humility and simplicity of Peter. There is a significant and frightening level of evil existing in the Vatican and this book shines a light on it. Bringing change and improvements to this monolith will take a long time and a series of future popes willing to be strong and smart enough to accomplish those lofty goals.

The difficulty I had in making my way through this book was the complexity and even the names of the multitude of entities within and affected by the Vatican. I got to the point where I just skimmed over them, however I respect the author for including them to this scholarly work.

[Miguel Ocaña · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un trabajo periodístico exquisito.

Un libro muy bien escrito, que otorga hechos que pueden ser validados por el lector. Politi, sutilmente deja ver su opinión pero siempre con el cuidado de no emitir un juicio cerrado. Excelente trabajo de investigación aunque no comparta del todo sus apreciaciones respecto a la visión que tiene de la Iglesia Católica.

[Mariano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro excelente de Marco Politi. Indispensable para comprender las intrigas del Vaticano.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned quite a bit on how the Catholic Church is run and the difficulties Pope Francis has faced in making the changes he believes need made. Very interesting.

[Melvyn Foo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched, but starkly biased, even for a Francis-supporter like me. That said, still a good who’s-who and a solid deep dive into the politics of the Curia.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a very interesting view of Pope Francis's efforts to reform the apparatus of one of the oldest institutions in the world, an apparatus that has increasingly become out of touch with the people it is intended to serve. The story operates on two levels – the sacred and the profane. A testimony to his namesake, Francis wants reforms that better serve the poor and those in need of spiritual guidance. Unfortunately, like many institutions charged with handling money and divvying-up power, there are many within the Vatican who have challenged Francis, attempting to use the institution’s foundation of sacred authority to solidify their status and perks. Indeed, as scripture would predict, the Vatican has fallen victim to the human frailties surrounding the acquisition of money and power, the best example being the dealings of the Vatican Bank, which to the chagrin of many insiders, has become subject to independent auditors retained by Francis in an effort to ensure transparency. And, transparency seems to be the enemy of those insiders, bent on maintaining the current system that grows more irrelevant by the day. Rather than trying to resurrect those traditions that bring comfort to many of those insiders, Francis is trying to reinvent the church to make it more relevant to its core mission of uniting Catholics in a common purpose of service to our fellow man. This is the story of just how incredibly difficult this seemingly basic mission can be, when dealing with what is an entrenched and staunchly indolent bureaucracy, aimed at undermining efforts to reform. The arguments are vast – reforms are seen as threats to tradition and are depicted as forms of heresy – abandonment of church history, implying disrespect for its traditions and, at times, its very sacred foundation.

Francis’s effort is to make the church more relevant in the modern world. He portends that failure to become more relevant, to keep pace with modernity, will compromise the effectiveness of the Catholic Church and undermine its very foundation. Actions like providing women with a more active role in church practices, being receptive to all people, not just those who fit the mold (or caricature) of Catholics of the past are key. (These ideas are strongly rooted in Francis’s struggles to serve the people of Latin America, where he served as a Cardinal.) Efforts to renew the College of Cardinals into a more progressive body are of paramount importance in creating a church that looks forward, as much as it has looked to the past. In the final analysis, Francis sees the Vatican has falling prey to the weaknesses of men, and, (with the help of some good outside accountants), it is the light that shines on those who seek to serve, which will make a difference by ultimately keep all of us honest!

[Caius Iulius Caesar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Politi, experto "vaticanólogo" que ha analizado los papados de Wojtyla y Ratzinger, aborda en esta obra el primer año del pontificado de Bergoglio, resaltando su devenir desde su arzobispado en Buenos Aires, pasando por los secretos del cónclave que lo lleva a la silla de San Pedro.

Destaca su estilo sencillo, directo y popular de acercar el Evangelio a la gente, pero con ello provocando el recelo de la curia romana, acostumbrada a la lejanía casi de vitrina de los papas. A partir de allí, Politi va delineando las dificultades de Bergoglio ante una curia que ve con enfado los primeros cambios de cardenales de la "vieja guardia"; la inédita renuncia de Ratzinger quien, agobiado por la edad e incapaz de enfrentar la montaña de escándalos y corruptelas al interior del Vaticano, le deja un paquete abrumador al sucesor; el alejamiento de Bergoglio del ritual monárquico y la desarticulación del sistema de poder creado por cardenales como Tarcisio Bertone; la indignación y murmuración de varios sectores por su aire "de pueblo" en las apariciones públicas, cuando no abiertas
críticas en los periódicos por parte de los sectores más conservadores; su apertura hacia ateos y agnósticos en un diálogo franco y sincero, aceptando los desafíos del humanismo laico; el reto del sacerdocio de las mujeres y la crisis de las vocaciones; las medidas a tomar ante los abusos sexuales del clero y los divorciados...

Al interior, la inercia voluntaria de varios purpurados es la forma de rebelarse contra las maniobras renovadoras de Bergoglio, a las que ven como "marxistas", sobre todo las relativas a la economía de mercado y al ataque a la pobreza, pero, especialmente, sus acciones para enfrentar los escándalos financieros.

Francisco avanza, aunque lo hace cada vez más solo, pues al interior del Vaticano los intereses golpeados son muchos, y conforme va limpiando va creando más incomodidad. Un análisis lúcido y muy interesante, ágil y puntual sobre un pontífice polémico.

Saludos!!!

[Han Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I learned from this book is far more in depth than what the CNN or any other mass media have conveyed about Pope Francis.
The author Marco Politi and the book's English translator William McCuaig have done excellent scholarly work. Before I read the book, its tittle had a raw attraction to me in the manner of a vulgar challenge thrown at me. But by the time I went through half mark of the book, I felt the title was so fitting in describing where the pope was.
One can read clearly that the main theme of Pope Francis' religious mission is to steer the world Catholic Church in the direction of embracing those who were forlorn by the authoritarian religious doctrinaire; and at the same time do more humanely and realistically revitalize the evangelization effort. And, do it all with charity and love.
Despite his noble aims, as the author put it, "The pope is surrounded by thickets and swamps where the wolves prowl…in the end it is the Vatican that is left tarnished."
Reading the book, I couldn't fathom how hard it must have been for a single man, the Pope Francis, to bear the brunt of massive opposition coming from the long entrenched rigid tradition of papacy of two millennia. As the title of one of the later chapters says, he could become the second "Resignable Pope" after his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI, if his health declines.
The description of intuitive satire by Maurizio Crozza in page 209 would tell you how the Pope Francis has been belaboring alone to achieve his mission, surrounded by modern Pharisees and Scribes, the teachers of the law.
With this book, it has been a very educational two weeks of my reading time. The massive compilation of notes and references very well authenticates the book and beckons to read more on the related articles and source materials.

[Joshua Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book covering the desire of Pope Francis to change the way the Vatican functions and how many in the institution are resisting. Worth a read for anyone interested in the Vatican.