The core book is Philip Shenon's Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church. The book provides an unprecedented look at the defining struggles of the modern Catholic Church from the end of WW II until the present day. We will spend time on each pontiff but of particular interest is Pope Pius XII and his controversial interactions with Mussolini and Hitler; Pope John XXIII who ushered in major reforms culminating in Vatican II; John Paul II who was a major actor in the fall of Communism in Poland; Pope Francis of Argentina who also brought great changes to Catholicism during his papacy. We will examine the struggles between liberals and conservatives, over modernity, clerical celibacy, the role of women, abortion, birth control, gays, the relationship with other religions, obligations to the poor, the role of the laity, the Vatican's bureaucracy, the liturgy, and the sexual abuse scandal. We will also view three films including Conclave, which explores how Popes are chosen, The Two Popes detailing the relationship between the conservative Pope Benedict XVI and the future Pope Francis and Spotlight, which examines the sexual abuse scandal in Boston.
1. Introduction, Part I: Pius XII (1939-1958) Chapter 1 : The Silent Pope, Chapter 2: "A Church of No, Not Yes". Part II: John XXIII (1958-1963) Chapter 3: A Pope for All the World.
2. Chapter 4: To Summon a Council, Chapter 5: Planning the Great Debates, Chapter 6: The Medicine of Mercy, Chapter 7: Death Be Not Proud.
3. Part III: Paul VI: (1963-1978) Chapter 8: The Hamlet Pope, Chapter 9: The New Pope Struggles, Chapter 10: A Pope "In Agony". Conclave, Director Edward Berger, Indian Paintbrush, 2024.
4. Chapter 11: "You Must Trust Me" Chapter 12: "A Thorn in My Flesh" Chapter 13: "Standing before the World Alone".
5. Chapter 14: The Church's Front Line, Chapter 15: "Walking in Mud" , Chapter 16: The Dirty War.
6. Part IV: John Paul I (August-September 1978) Chapter 17: The Smiling Pope. Part V: John Paul II (1978-2005) Chapter 18: The Superstar Pope, Chapter 19: Gossip and Sin, Chapter 20: On the Road, Chapter 21: Punishing a Theologian.
7. Chapter 22: Cardinal Ratzinger Rises, Chapter 23: Banishing a Jesuit, Chapter 24: The Distracted Pope, Chapter 25: "So Much Filth."
8. Chapter 26: Ratzinger's Crusade, Chapter 27: Polishing an Image, Chapter 28: Bergoglio in Exile.
9. Chapter 29: The Crisis in Boston, Chapter 30: The Saint Factory, Chapter 31: The Cardinal's "Mafia." Part VI: Benedict XVI (2005-2013) Chapter 32: The Unwelcome Challenger. Spotlight, Director Tom McCarthy, Participant, 2015.
10. Chapter 33: A Speech in Regensburg, Chapter 34: The Pope Stumbles, Chapter 35: The Vatican vs. Buenos Aires, Chapter 36: What the Butler Saw.
11. Part VII: Francis (2013-2025) Chapter 37: "Carnival Time Is Over", Chapter 38: "Who Am I to Judge?" Chapter 39: Into the Lion's Den, Chapter 40: "Catholics Love Me". The Two Popes, Director Fernando Meirelles, K&S Films, 2019.
12. Chapter 41: The Network, Chapter 42: The Year of Living Desperately, Chapter 43: A Papacy "Begins Anew". Pope Leo XIV (2025- ) Who is Pope Leo?
Philip Shenon, Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church, New York, Knopf, 2025.
Conclave, Director Edward Berger, Indian Paintbrush, 2024.
Spotlight, Director Tom McCarthy, Participant, 2015.
The Two Popes, Director Fernando Meirelles, K&S Films, 2019.