Five years after he was elected, Pope Francis remains popular with American Catholics—84% of whom report a “favorable” opinion of him, according to a recent Pew study. However, studies also show that fewer Catholics are attending mass, which could be traced to the ongoing sex abuse scandals involving children and alleged cover-ups within the church. As believers attempt to discern “a future of faith,” as one book from St. Martin’s Essentials is titled, Pope Francis’s teachings take on more importance than ever. Below are six new books by and about Pope Francis publishing this year.
A Future of Faith: The Path of Change in Politics and Society
French reporter and sociologist Dominique Wolton collects 12 conversations with the Pope to reveal his views on contentious political topics of today, such as immigration, climate change, as well as other cultural and religious issues.
God Is Young: A Conversation with Thomas Leoncini
During an interview with Italian journalist Leoncini, Francis compares characteristics of young people to God and highlights the role of millennials when it comes to the Church and the many problems it faces today.
Open to God: Open to the World
Father Spadaro shares 16 conversations with Pope Francis that took place over the course of four years that outline the pontiff’s hope for the future of the Church.
The Mind of Pope Francis: Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s Intellectual Journey
Based on four interviews with Pope Francis, professor of moral philosophy at the University of Perugia Borghesi analyzes the Holy Father’s intellectual formation, including the philosophical, theological, and spiritual principles at the center of his vision for the Church.
The Voice of Pope Francis: Communicating to Understand and Embrace the Other
Viganò, prefect of the Vatican’s Secretariat for Communications and a professor of theology and languages, analyzes ways the Pope connects to those around him and beyond.
To Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism
Douthat, an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, explores Pope Francis’s stances on communion for the divorced and the remarried and what it means for Catholicism.