Book: Pope Leo XIV by Christopher White
Reviewed by VeroniCanRead
Rating: 4.5/5
⛪️ For Fans of:
historical context
Catholic Church history
biographies
how the Conclave works
socio-politics of the Catholic Church
direction of the Catholic Church
⭐️4.5 True Rating
✏️ ALC review
I was devastated when Pope Francis passed away after attending multiple World Youth Days where he presided and hearing firsthand how much and often he tried to change the heart of “The Catholic Church” as an institution. That said, when I saw this book available as an audiobook on NetGalley, I was super excited to learn more about the new pope and his background, thinking that it would showcase his values and where the future of The Catholic Church may be headed.
The book begins with a history of recent popes, diving into Pope Francis’ history and rise to Pope, how he shook up the Church, and how he “stirred the pot,” creating a very interesting space to fill when he passed away.
It then turns to the conclave (choosing of the next pope), how it works, it’s history (including interesting rules and changes over time) and the socio-political moods and convictions of various parties within the Cardinals.
Finally, it looks at Pope Leo XIV’s background, history and the focus points of his career before becoming Pope in addition to the church, social, and political stances on not just Pope Leo XIV as a a clergy member, but specifically as an American.
All in all, I found it fascinating and a great summary of all that is surrounding the almost-shocking choice of an American pope.
Please note that it is written by a reporter (but the same reporter/paper who broke a large abuse scandal in the past) so I appreciated the facts laid out beside quotes from various organizations, clergy, and individuals.
🗣️ The narrator also did a wonderful job of narrating the book as straightforward rather than turning it into a pointed reading. It wasn’t boring and went by quickly!
🖤 Thank you to author Christopher White, Brilliance Publishing, and NetGalley for the digital advanced listener copy. As always, my reviews are honest, my own, and voluntary!