A passionate, closely argued study of a Pope for our time
Wounded Shepherd: Pope Francis and His Struggle to Convert the Catholic Church
AUSTEN IVEREIGH
(HENRY HOLT and co., 416 PP, £23.99)
Tablet bookshop price £21.59 • Tel 020 7799 4064
Austen Ivereigh, author of the celebrated papal biography The Great Reformer, relates how Francis once said to him, “I’ve read a number of things you’ve written about me, and I just have one criticism. You’re too kind!” Ivereigh replied that he would be more critical in future. But he evidently finds it hard.
Wounded Shepherd is a massively detailed, deeply considered apologia for the past six years of this roller-coaster pontificate. Ivereigh writes with unbounded enthusiasm, occasionally rising to homiletic tropes, as he explicates, and defends, Francis’ energetic mission. Drawing on abundant textual sources and cited interviews, he discusses in essay style several leading themes – Vatican finance and corruption, which he sees as largely resolved; the reform of the Curia, much needed and still ongoing; the far-reaching influence of the 2007 Latin American bishops’ meeting at Aparecida in Brazil as catalyst for Francis’ vision of conversion; Laudato si’ – and the saving of “our common home”, laying the groundwork for the Amazon synod and the environmental crisis.
He employs well-paced narrative skills, taking us through the two synods on marriage and the family leading to Amoris laetitia. Similarly, he covers the challenge of the clerical abuse scandals with an account of the “annus horribilis”, 2018. We accompany Francis as he travels to Chile and Peru, vigorously defending Bishop Juan Barros, accused of cover-up, through to the Dublin visit, followed by Archbishop Viganò’s call for Francis’ resignation. The culmination is unprecedented, heartfelt papal contrition.
