Relying on extensive interviews in Argentina, Rome, and elsewhere, as well as years of study of the contemporary Catholic Church, The Great Reformer tells how Jorge Mario Bergoglio went from lower-middle-class child of Italian immigrants in Buenos Aires to spiritual leader of more than a billion Catholics worldwide.
This intimate, far-reaching biography sheds light on the influence of Argentina's nationalist movement on Pope Francis and the inspiration provided by early Jesuit missionaries; his radical embrace of a Church for the poor; his visionary but controversial leadership of the Argentine Jesuits; as well as the hair-raising tightrope he walked during the military dictatorship of the 1970s.
Based on primary sources and dozens of interviews with his contemporaries, the book charts his remarkable tenure as bishop and archbishop at a time of crisis in the Vatican and contains fascinating insider accounts of his friendships across the boundaries of politics and religion, his courageous challenge to drugs and gambling mafias, as well as the hitherto untold story of how and why he was elected pope.
Deep analysis and rare insights make for a thrilling account of one man's journey through the intersection of faith and politics. The Great Reformer is the definitive account of how this radical pope came to be.
Editorial Reviews
“In Austen Ivereigh's engaging work, we come to more fully learn and appreciate the circumstances and influences that shaped Jorge Bergoglio's journey: first as a young Jesuit leader, then as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and now as shepherd of over one billion Catholics. The many fascinating events and challenges recounted in The Great Reformer demonstrate that the key to understanding Pope Francis and his vision for the Church begins above all by recognizing his unfailing faith in the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.” ―Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York and author of Praying in Rome: Reflections on the Conclave and Electing Pope Francis
“Easily the best treatment of Pope Francis's Argentine background in English, written by someone who knows Catholicism inside and out. Masterful, indispensable, and gripping.” ―John L. Allen Jr., associate editor, Cruz and The Boston Globe
“Ivereigh has written the best available chronicle of the formative events in the life and thinking of Jorge Mario Bergoglio and demonstrates how his call for a ‘Church in permanent mission' extends and deepens the ‘New Evangelization' proclaimed by St. John Paul II.” ―George Weigel, author of Evangelical Catholicism"
“Well written, full of information; this is the best biography of Pope Francis to date.” ―Thomas Reese, Senior Analyst, National Catholic Reporter and author of Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church
About the Author
Austen Ivereigh is a British writer, journalist, and commentator on religious and political affairs who holds a PhD from Oxford University. His work appears regularly in the Jesuit magazine America and in many other periodicals. He is well known on British media, especially on the BBC, Sky, ITV and Al-Jazeera, as a Catholic commentator.
