A portrait of the Catholic Church's role in today's geopolitical framework through the eyes of the first Latin American pope
In an interconnected world marked by a "piecemeal world war" and dominated by apocalyptic perspectives, how did Pope Francis see the role of the Church? What are the roots of his "diplomacy of mercy"? How does a desire for mediation align with his vigorous denunciation of today's evils? And what specifically characterized the gestures and words of this pope who "came from the ends of the Earth"?
In The Diplomacy of Pope Francis, Antonio Spadaro, SJ, highlights Pope Francis's geopolitical approach. Spadaro draws from personal interviews, official documents, and the pope's numerous cultural and intellectual references to reconstruct a map of Francis's actions through apostolic journeys, synodal events, and the Holy See's international policies. The result is an analysis of the achievements, orientations, and ongoing challenges that shaped Francis's legacy: the commitment to a new humanism in Europe, efforts to end conflicts and the tragedy of migrants, interreligious and international dialogues, the experience of the first global pandemic in the digital age, and attention to regions marked by sharp political contradictions.
From this book, readers will gain a deeper understanding of the Church, of the global challenges it faces, and of the pope who sought Christ at the center of the relations between the two.
Reviews
"In his The Diplomacy of Pope Francis, Antonio Spadaro, SJ, meticulously reconstructs Pope Francis's geopolitical diplomacy by mining official records of the late pontiff's words and action. Yet it is Spadaro's personal interviews and interactions with Pope Francis that allow him to make a singular contribution in analyzing the unique diplomatic achievements of the Francis papacy."—Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago
"In this book Antonio Spadaro helps us to rediscover, or even to discover, Pope Francis."—Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Nuncio Apostolico to the United States
"A good cross-disciplinary book teaches something useful from outside the reader's primary field of study. A great one like Spadaro's shows new ways of seeing and inhabiting one's home discipline or area of expertise. Whether one starts with secular politics and diplomacy, or theology and religion, this book opens the mind and illuminates the road ahead."—Michael L. Budde, professor of political science and Catholic studies, DePaul University
"Antonio Spadaro's book demonstrates in a definitive way that prophecy and diplomacy are not at odds when we talk about the papacy. It is actually essential to keep them together, especially if we want to understand the papacy of Francis and his role in modern Church history."—Massimo Faggioli, Trinity College Dublin
"Should the world survive the multiple crises threatening democracy, the planet, and the poor, history will judge the pontificate of Pope Francis as being prophetic and, to use Antonio Spadaro's word, 'revolutionary.' Fr. Spadaro's new book is a masterful account of Francis's tireless efforts, through diplomacy and dialogue with nations and global religious communities, to foster robust Catholic engagement with the crises of migration, climate change, poverty, social alienation, political violence, and war. Not least, it is also an elegant synthesis and sustained reflection on the many illuminating conversations and interviews Fr. Spadaro enjoyed with his friend and fellow Jesuit, situated in the context of the late pope's encyclicals, exhortations, public messages, and other relevant documentary sources. A work of profound theological insight that takes the full measure of Francis as a pivotal Catholic leader and shepherd of millions of spiritual seekers within and beyond the Church, The Diplomacy of Pope Francis is required reading for those who would understand not only this pivotal pope, but the times in which we live."—R. Scott Appleby, Keough-Hesburgh Professor of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame
About the Author
Antonio Spadaro is an Italian Jesuit priest, theologian, and writer who was a close associate of Pope Francis. He served as editor-in-chief of La Civiltà Cattolica for twelve years and is now the undersecretary of the Holy See's Dicastery for Culture and Education.
