Did you know that Pope Francis was the first pope to publish an autobiography?
During his lifetime, not only did Pope Francis pen a memoir recounting his journey to the papacy, but four encyclicals, seven apostolic exhortations, and 80 apostolic letters. Though he is no longer with us, we can still draw inspiration from his words and his life; in today’s post, we invite you to reflect on a selection of Pope Francis titles, featuring his own account of his life, his wisdom on discipleship, and more.
Hope: The Autobiography
The first papal autobiography ever to be published, Hope starts with Pope Francis’s roots as the son of 20th-century Italian immigrants and continues through his childhood, vocation, and papacy. With intimate narrative force, Pope Francis recalls crucial moments of his ministry and addresses key questions of our era on war and peace, social policy, technological developments, the future of the Church, and more.
Hope includes a wealth of revelations, anecdotes, and insights. In turns thrilling, moving, and funny, this memoir gives not just the “story of a life,” but a touching spiritual testament for the ages. Readers across generations and nations will be inspired by the legacy of Pope Francis in Hope, which is complete with photographs and private material made personally available by Pope Francis himself.
Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads
From choosing to live in a simple apartment instead of the papal palace, to washing the feet of residents in a youth detention center, Pope Francis defied many of the conventions of modern leadership. In Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads, former Jesuit seminarian Chris Lowney shows how the pope’s words and deeds revealed spiritual principles that prepared him to lead the faithful and influence our world. Drawing on interviews with people who knew the pope as Father Jorge Bergoglio, Lowney shows how Pope Francis challenged assumptions about what it takes to be a great leader. In doing so, he reveals the others-centered leadership style of a man whose passion was to be with people rather than set apart. Lowney demonstrates how, amidst a rapidly changing world, Francis saw the human need for love, inspiration, and meaning.
The Joy of Discipleship
In The Joy of Discipleship, Pope Francis reminds us that joy should be one of the defining characteristics of any Christian’s life. This collection of homilies, speeches, and other documents from Pope Francis, compiled and edited by James P. Campbell, offers a fresh perspective on why Christian disciples should be joyful, and how that joy might manifest in our daily lives. Covering a broad range of themes – from Christ’s Resurrection, mercy, the Christian family, and more – The Joy of Discipleship moves us to proclaim God’s transforming love in word and deed.
The Joy of Discipleship is an invaluable guide for anyone who wants an active, abiding, authentic love for Jesus Christ, the Church, and the people of this world.
*Book descriptions adapted in part from their respective publishers.
Looking for more book recommendations?
In this Basilica Book Club post, discover five books about how God has used faithful men and women throughout the centuries to further His kingdom and what it means for you today.