At 7:06pm on March 13, 2013, white smoke poured from the Sistine Chapel and bells rang out from St Peter’s Basilica, announcing the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as 266th Pope.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1936, Bergoglio first worked as a nightclub bouncer, a janitor, and a chemist technician before joining the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1958. He was ordained in 1969, became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, and in 2001 was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II.
Bergoglio chose Francis as his papal name in honour of St Francis of Assisi, stating that he was concerned with the well-being of the poor and vulnerable – a sentiment that has been continually expressed throughout his papacy.
Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first non-European pope since Gregory III in 731.
This year marks the 8th anniversary of his election as Bishop of Rome and leader of the Catholic Church. The anniversary of the current Pope’s election is a public holiday in Vatican City.
Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future
Published just before Christmas, this book pulls together some of the core messages Pope Francis has been giving during the pandemic and outlines where he believes we need to change for a better future.
The book is easy to read, yet deep and intimidating at the same time. Written in collaboration with his biographer, Austen Ivereigh, Pope Francis explains why we must—and how we can—make the world safer, fairer, and healthier for all people now.
“Let Us Dream is an epiphany, a call to arms, and a pleasure to read. It is Pope Francis at his most personal, profound and passionate. With this book and with open hearts, we can change the world.”
You can get a copy of the book in different formats (physical, e-book, audiobook) at the links below:
- https://www.amazon.com/Let-Us-Dream-Better-Future/dp/1982171863
- https://www.christiansupplies.co.nz/product/9781398502208/let-us-dream-the-path-to-a-better-future-hb/
Watch a short interview with Austen Ivereigh where he talks about the book here: