Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church

Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church by Philip Shenon

This at the Popes that have served since World War II through the context of progressive politics. The author expects Popes to liberalize the church, condemn pedophile priests and denounce Nazis and the holocaust. Anything that goes against progressive ideals is viewed as negative. Alas, life is not so black and white. The church advocates forgiveness must balance that against the many groups involved.   This creates problems when society demands blood for some activities while expect to tolerate others. Celibacy is hard in the hypersexual world. Are there enough that can keep this ideal? Should priests be allowed to marry? The author shows a favoritism towards social Popes like Francis while is upset that Benedict went from a maverick to a conservative. Conservative groups are painted in a negative. Should the Catholic try to fit in with modern culture? Or should it support the traditionalists? How can one leader make all sides happy?

John Paul the Great

John Paul the Great spends some time providing a biography of Pope John Paul II. However, most of the book details the author's spiritual journey. For many immigrants, Catholicism was an "old world" custom that they sought to avoid. Their descendants needed the spiritual confirmation rather than custom to participate in the church. Pope John Paul II was keen to this and was a humble, prayerful figure that traveled the world to help spread the message of peace. This helped open the church up to many that would otherwise have not sought it. Alas, at the time, the church was also suffering from bad behavior from many priests. The Pope's great love may have made it difficult for him to take early decisive action to stop the bad actors. (This was also influenced by his experience losing his family at a young age and enduring the horrors of communism and Nazism.)

There are many scenes of the Pope's humility. When the author, Peggy Noonan, met the Pope helps show his non-judgmental nature. In the same audience as her was a rocker, dressed to the part. Pope John Paul II treated him just as the others, and even signed the music that was presented. In another instance, Pope John Paul II met with his would-be-assassin for an extended time period, and forgave him. the author had a great respect for the pope as a person - and even more for what he enabled her to accomplish in her spiritual life.

Death Comes for the Archbishop

Death Comes to the Archbishop details the life of a French priest who is assigned "missionary duty" in the American Southwest. The territory is newly annexed by the United States, but still has a large "Indian" and Mexican population. The priest eventually becomes the archbishop over the region. He is tasked with overseeing many local Catholic priests who have taken advantage of the remoteness of the territory. There also many people that need help in different ways. Near the end, he is even tasked with bringing in mining prospectors into his fold. He has a companion for many years that also helps him out. He interacts with many scoundrels and well meaning people. There are a few protestants in the area, as well as some natives that have become marginally Christian, while still maintaining a lot of their old ways. He also befriends Kit Carson. In the process, he gains a greater appreciation for the new world, and eventually decides that will be his final place of retirement. The book itself is easily accessible and provides a good view into early America. There are a mix of people that are actively trying to do good and those that are merely trying to enrich themselves. Everyone has their flaws. Even the good actions may at times result in less than ideal outcomes. However, those that can keep their baseline values strong while adapting and adjusting to the circumstances can have a positive impact.