Pope Francis

When Pope Francis wrote in his apostolic letter The Joy of the Gospel that the economy of the West is one that “kills,” he was immediately labeled by some as a Marxist. Criticisms came fast and furious, not only from financial columnists and conservative cable personalities, but also from some Catholic commentators, especially in the United States.

When Jorge Bergoglio was a young Jesuit, he wrote a statement of his personal beliefs. It began, “I want to believe in God the Father who loves me like a child, and in Jesus, the Lord who infused my life with His Spirit, to make me smile and so carry me to the eternal Kingdom of life.” The elements of this credo inspired the selection and arrangement of the reflections gathered here: Pope Francis’s thoughts on love for God and each other, and most importantly God’s love for us. Here are his most intimate thoughts about the purpose and promise of love, “the greatest power for the transformation of reality.”