The good Pope: the making of a saint and the remaking of the church -- the story of John XXIII and Vatican II

“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. On November 23, 1958, Cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, The Son Of Peasant Italian Farmers, Became Pope John Xxiii. Widely Expected To Be A Transitional Pope, John Surprised The Church Hierarchy And The World By Convoking An Ambitious Ecumenical Council, The First Such Council In More Than A Century, To Bring The Catholic Church Into The Modern Era. I Want To Throw Open The Windows Of The Church, He Said, So That We Can See Out And The People Can See In. Broken Into Four Sessions And Held Over Four Years, The Second Vatican Council (a New Pentecost, According To John) Breathed New Life Into The Church And Its Pastoral Mission, Knocking Down The Centuries-old Wall Between The Church Hierarchy And The Laity And Repositioning The Church As A Universal Instrument Of Hope, Justice, And Compassion For People Of All Faiths. Fifty Years After He Convened The Second Vatican Council, Pope John Xxiii Remains One Of The Most Beloved And Remarkable Figures In The History Of The Catholic Church. Affectionately Known As Il Buono Papa, Or The Good Pope, John Is Remembered Today By Catholics And Non-catholics Alike As An Enduring Symbol Of Peace, Ecumenicalism, And Christian Spirituality. In The Good Pope, The Author Recounts John's Remarkable Story, From His Impoverished Childhood In Bergamo, Italy, And His Successful Tenure As A Papal Ambassador In War-torn Europe To His Surprise Ascendancy To The Throne Of St. Peter. In The Process, He Traces John's Legacy As The Spiritual Father Of The Modern Church And Explains Why The Good Pope And His Great Council Are As Vital, Vibrant, And Important To Catholicism As Ever Before. Meticulously Researched, This Book Captures The Heart, Soul, And Spirit Of The Man Who Ushered In A New Era Of Religion In The Twentieth Century. Priest And Protector. Pastor Et Nauta, Shepherd And Navigator ; Family, Youth, And Seminary (1881-1904) ; Early Priesthood And Rome (1904-1915) ; The Great War And After (1915-1925) ; Bulgaria, Greece, And Turkey (1925-1945) ; France And Venice (1945-1958). -- The Soul Of A Pope. Election And First Days (october-december (1958) ; The First Year (january-december 1959) ; A Unique Pontificate (january-december 1960) ; World In Crisis (january 1961-september 1962) ; Aggiornamento, Si! (october 1962). -- Father Of The Council. A New Pentecost? (november-december 1962) ; Peace On Earth (january-april 1963) ; Finis (may-june 1963) ; The Good Pope And His Great Council. Greg Tobin. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. “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.