Pope Francis

When the curtains were drawn and our new Holy Father stepped out into view of the 150,000 people waiting in St. Peters Square, they saw a humble and gentle man from Argentina who greeted them, not in triumph, but with a gentle wave. Francis is a pope of "firsts" - the first Jesuit pope, the first pope from the Americas, and the first to choose the name of Italy's most famous saint. He is the son of an immigrant railway worker, and sibling of four. He was an active, social young man who trained to be a chemist before pursuing a religious vocation. He is a Jesuit priest and beloved spiritual director who even as archbishop of Buenos Aires was referred to as Father Jorge. He is an outspoken leader who experienced firsthand the challenges of a society ravaged by war, economic despair, and cultural unrest. Pope Francis is still new to us, but in this biography you will get to know the man who became pope: a street priest at heart with a deep love for people and a pastor's touch. He teaches in word and deed the truths of the Church and God's merciful love. Get inside access to the entire history-making event, from the startling resignation of Pope Benedict XVI through the gathering of cardinals for the conclave and the installation of this pope of the people, including sixteen pages of photos from his past and present. Book jacket.… (more)