The Good Pope: The Making of a Saint and the Remaking of the Church--The Story of John XXIII and Vatican II
By Greg Tobin
3/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
“John XXIII was, in the best possible sense, a revolutionary—a Pope of modernization who kept in continuity with the church’s past, yet made even the most enlightened of his 20th century predecessors seem like voices of another age.”
—Time magazine
“The story of Good Pope John is always worth telling….Greg Tobin tells it very well. As we wait for better days, this story will help to keep hope alive.”
—Thomas Groome, Professor of Theology and Religious Education at Boston College, author of Will There Be Faith
Published in the 50th anniversary year of the historic Vatican Council II, The Good Pope by Greg Tobin is the first major biography of Pope John XXIII, a universally beloved religious leader who ushered in an era of hope and openness in the Catholic Church—and whose reforms, had they been accepted, would have enabled the church to avoid many of the major crises it faces today. Available prior to John XXIII’s likely canonization, Tobin’s The Good Pope is timely and important, offering a fascinating look at the legacy of Vatican Council II, an insightful investigation into the history of the Catholic Church, and a celebration of one of its true heroes.
Greg Tobin
Greg Tobin is has written several books on the Catholic Church, including The Good Pope.
Read more from Greg Tobin
The Good Pope: The Making of a Saint and the Remaking of the Church Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReal Men Pray the Rosary: A Practical Guide to a Powerful Prayer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related to The Good Pope
Related ebooks
Pope Francis Among the Wolves: The Inside Story of a Revolution Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Practicing Catholic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rome and the Eastern Churches: A Study in Schism Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Rule of Benedict: Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle with the Modern World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Next Pope: The Office of Peter and a Church in Mission Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Wisdom and Prayers of the Pope Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVatican Ii: a Historic Turning Point: The Dawning of a New Epoch Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChurch Fathers and Teachers: From Leo The Great to Peter Lombard Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Church, Interrupted: Havoc & Hope: The Tender Revolt of Pope Francis Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5The Reform of Renewal Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5By Strange Ways: Theologians and Their Paths to the Catholic Church Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRekindle the Gift of God: A Handbook for Priestly Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPope Francis Explained: Survey of Myths, Legends, and Catholic Defenses in Harmony with Tradition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mystical Body of Christ Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Return to Rome: Confessions of an Evangelical Catholic Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Men of Mercy: Pope Francis Speaks to Priests Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Excellence of the Rosary Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5John Paul II: A Personal Portrait of the Pope and the Man Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Complete Encyclicals, Bulls, and Apostolic Exhortations: Volume 2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Spirit of St. Francis de Sales Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDogma And Preaching: Applying Christian Doctrine to Daily Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5In Your Eyes I See My Words: Homilies and Speeches from Buenos Aires, Volume 1: 1999–2004 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSaint Veronica Giuliani Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReclaiming Vatican II: What It (Really) Said, What It Means, and How It Calls Us to Renew the Church Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Last Testament: In His Own Words Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Holy Hour & Calvary and the Mass Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Life of St. Alphonsus de Liguori Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux: The Original Biography Commissioned by Her Sister Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Father Speaks to His Children Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lost Shepherd: How Pope Francis is Misleading His Flock Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Christianity For You
Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That's Both Holy and Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Holy Bible (World English Bible, Easy Navigation) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table: It's Time to Win the Battle of Your Mind... Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Warrior of the Light: A Manual Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Changes That Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Less Fret, More Faith: An 11-Week Action Plan to Overcome Anxiety Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries with Kids: How Healthy Choices Grow Healthy Children Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Good Pope
2 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I stopped reading this book after 50 pages because I cannot stand the manner in which Tobin writes it. This has nothing to do with his facts or content but rather the book's tone. I could not bear anymore. I knew this going in because I've read another of his books but thought maybe it was just that book. It was not.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5With the 50th anniversary of Vatican Council II just around the corner, now seems an appropriate time to re-examine the council and the figures who led it. (Indeed, with the Year of Faith, the Holy Father has invited us to do just that.) So it was with great interest that I read The Good Pope: The Making of a Saint and the Remaking of the Church -- The Story of John XXIII and Vatican II by Greg Tobin.Unfortunately, anyone looking for a thorough treatment of either Bl. John XXIII or Vatican Council II will be disappointed in The Good Pope. Mr. Tobin has an almost myopic interest in the political, eschewing the theological or spiritual significance of either John XXIII or the council, and his book is the poorer for it.Anyone unfamiliar with the "Good Pope" will find some interesting information and anecdotes. Tobin does a good job of portraying Angelo's humble beginnings and steady rise through the Church's ranks, focusing on his diplomatic appointments in Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and France. Yet of all these instances in the pope's life it was the account of John XXIII's passing that I found especially moving. Surrounded by family and staff, the pope endured great pain in his final days, the result of the stomach cancer which took his life. Speaking to those present before receiving the Last Rites he was heard to say"The secret of my ministry is that crucifix you see opposite my bed. It's there so that I can see it in my first waking moments and before going to sleep. It's there, also, so that I can talk to it during the long evening hours. Look at it, see it as I see it. Those open arms have been the program of my pontificate: they say that Christ died for all, for all. No one is excluded from his love, from his forgiveness..."Unfortunately this probing of John's spirituality comes only at the end of his life. While providing a good overview of some of the pope's encyclicals, Mr. Tobin picks and chooses only those with a focus on political or social issues. I would have enjoyed seeing a treatment of Paenitentiam Agere (John XXIII's encyclical on penance) or Sacerdotii Nostri Primordia (on St. Jean Vianny and the priesthood). Looking at these lesser-known encyclicals would have helped fill in some of the gaps of John's faith.This focus on the political extends to the chapters on Vatican Council II; Mr. Tobin seems less interested with the results of the council than with the maneuverings of the various personalities and factions at the council. (I don't recall any direct quotes from the council documents, but plenty from diaries and interviews of those in attendance.) This leaves the impression that the council was less about the end results than about the feelings and intrigues of its participants. This does little to help readers understand the council's impact on the life of the Church and subsequent reforms.Another major shortcoming is the lack of direct reference to Mr. Tobin's sources. While a list of sources is provided at the end of the book, no inline citations or footnotes are provided. An especially egregious example is on page 236, in which an unidentified source claims that progressive forces at the council "correctly deduced that John wanted a wholesale reform." This unattributed assertion is not backed with any evidence and serves only to bolster Mr. Tobin's own conclusions.The Good Pope is, ultimately, less than the sum of its parts, failing as both biography and history. While it contains some interesting tidbits, in the end I can't say that I understand either John XXIII or Vatican Council II any better. Given the wide selection of books about the council and the Good Pope, I cannot recommend this title to anyone wanting more than a political view of either.Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this book from TLC Book Tours.