Pope John XXIII
A Life
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4.5 • 13 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
From the bestselling author of How the Irish Saved Civilization.
Elected to the papacy at the age of 76, Pope John XXIII was to have a brief but important reign. Although he had a doctorate in theology, his gifts were pastoral—reaching out to the people of the Church. After his doctorate, he spent nine years working for the socially-minded bishop of Bergamo, acquiring a broad understanding of the problems of the working class. This sympathy for ordinary people was brought out in his papacy. Vatican II, which he convened, brought forth the idea of a church as a community, in which all God's people are a sign of redemption for the human race. Thomas Cahill, in his short biography, gives us the sense of enduring importance of John XXIII's idea.
Customer Reviews
Great portrayal of an unexpectedly great Pope.
From my early recollections Pope John XXIII turned the Church on its ear for the betterment of the institution and the world. Paul VI started the recission that was completed by John Paul II. The history of the papacy, although concise, is even more shocking than I thought I knew.