The Church of Mercy: His First Major Book: A Message of Hope for All People

The first major authorised book by Pope Francis in the English language. Approved by the Vatican. Foreword by Cardinal Vincent Nichols. “The Church’s primary task is to bear witness to the mercy of God and to encourage generous reactions of solidarity in order to open a future of hope”. The focal point of Pope Francis’ Church is mercy: in the dialogue between human fragility and God’s mercy the Church has to welcome and help everyone to find the ‘good news’ of Christian hope. As part of his revolutionary new vision for the Church, Francis calls on all believers to be ‘full-time Christians’ and not ‘living-room Christians’, and to struggle against the trappings of power, and the worship of money and careerism. Francis has spoken and written widely on these themes during his first year as Pope, and his thoughts are here collected for the first time, edited and abridged with full Vatican approval. The book is aimed at a broader readership, believers and non-believers, priests, religious, dedicated laypeople, and teachers. 10 chapters as follows: The Good News of Christ; A Poor Church for the Poor; Listening to the Spirit; Proclamation and Testimony; Full-time Christians; Shepherds with the ‘odour of the sheep’; The Choice of the Last; Demolish the Idols; The Culture of Good; Mary, Mother of Evangelism.