Reclaiming Francis

How the Saint and the Pope Are Renewing the Church

by Charles M. Murphy

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Pub Date Mar 10 2014 | Archive Date May 06 2014

Description

As Pope Francis continues to call for the rebuilding of the Church, Msgr. Charles M. Murphy, author of The Spirituality of Fasting and Eucharistic Adoration, offers a timely look at what today’s Church can learn from St. Francis of Assisi about evangelization and renewal.

When Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio chose the name Francis, a renewed sense of hope and energy swept through the Church. In this timely book, Msgr. Charles M. Murphy examines the correlations between the two Francises and shows why St. Francis is an ideal model for today.

Just as in St. Francis’s time, today’s Church can only be rebuilt and reinforced by a spiritual renewal that comes from within itself, a vision that Pope Francis carries forward in the New Evangelization. Pope Paul VI, the first modern pope to focus on evangelization, once said, “People today listen more to witnesses than to teachers.” Pope Francis knows that St. Francis is just such a witness and Murphy enlivens them both for his readers.

Features & Benefits

- After the avalanche of introductory books on the new pope, this is the first book to assess how Pope Francis’s identification with St. Francis is guiding his effort to rebuild the Church through the New Evangelization.
- Examines why St. Francis is a particularly good model for the Church and individual Catholics today.
- Murphy’s books have sold well in both the trade and parish markets.

As Pope Francis continues to call for the rebuilding of the Church, Msgr. Charles M. Murphy, author of The Spirituality of Fasting and Eucharistic Adoration, offers a timely look at what today’s...

Advance Praise

“Msgr. Murphy offers readers an insightful look into the significance and legacy of St. Francis of Assisi for the church and world today according to the New Evangelization and the wonderfully hopeful election of Pope Francis. This book, the first of its kind, is sure to inspire rich conversation and deep reflection on the meaning of Christian discipleship in our time, and challenge us to ‘preach by our deeds’ like both the saint and the pope named Francis.”

Daniel P. Horan, O.F.M.
Author of Dating God

“The Church must continue to re-propose its message for every new generation. To do this, word and witness have to be one and the same. In this book, Msgr. Charles Murphy offers us two superb examples of this authentic witness in St. Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis, thereby making a significant contribution to contemporary discussions of the new evangelization.”

Maureen E. Sullivan, O.P.
Author of The Road to Vatican II

"Charles M. Murphy presents a series of thoughtful reflections on key aspects in the life and spirituality of Saint Francis of Assisi. He proposes the great thirteenth century mendicant friar as a model of Gospel living for our time. This work provides an important insight into the kind of authentic witness required to carry out the New Evangelization mandated by the recent international synod of bishops, and into the appeal of the newly elected pope, the first to take the name of Francis."
Catherine E. Clifford
Coauthor of Keys to the Council

“Msgr. Murphy offers readers an insightful look into the significance and legacy of St. Francis of Assisi for the church and world today according to the New Evangelization and the wonderfully...