Pope Francis's New Book Offers a "Scathing Critique" of the COVID-19 Crisis
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Pope Francis is the author of a new book, Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future, available in both English and Spanish on December 1.
In the book, the Pope directly addresses the coronavirus pandemic.
Let Us Dream "is a call to see, to choose, and to act in this moment of great global adversity."
Pope Francis is the author of a powerful and timely new book responding to the COVID-19 crisis, and the many factors that brought society to this point. Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future will be published on December 1 in both English and Spanish editions.
Like the rest of us, Pope Francis has had an unusual year. Gone were the tens of thousands of people normally gathered in St. Peter's Square for Easter Sunday Mass. Instead, throughout Holy Week in April, the Pope gave his address in a near-empty St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, and live-streamed his proceedings.
In Let Us Dream, Pope Francis reflects on this time of global tumult, and calls upon readers "to see, to choose, and to act" to create a better future for all. The Pope believes the COVID-19 pandemic offers the possibility for change, on both global and individual scales.
"In the COVID crisis, the beloved shepherd of over one billion Catholics saw the cruelty and inequity of our society exposed more vividly than ever before. He also saw, in the resilience, generosity, and creativity of so many people, the means to rescue our society, our economy, and our planet. In direct, powerful prose, Pope Francis urges us not to let the pain be in vain and how we can usher in positive change for all of us," an official statement from Simon and Schuster, the book's publisher, reads.
According to Let Us Dream's publisher, Francis will illustrate his point by opening up about his personal life, revealing how "three crises...changed him dramatically for the better."
And what would that better world look like? The Pope offers an "inspiring and actionable blueprint" for the future, which emphasizes putting the poor and the planet at the heart of everything. Arriving in time for the holidays, Let Us Dream urges readers to reach out to those in need, in line with the Christian mission to serve the poor. "In the process, you’ll not only alleviate suffering in others, but also find salvation for yourself," the description reads.
Let Us Dream is a capstone to the Pope's year of vocally responding to headlines. In June, Pope Francis addressed the police killing of George Floyd, and protests demanding an end to systemic racism sweeping the world. "My friends, we cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life," he said while leading a prayer at the Vatican.
The Pope will offer further commentary on pressing issues in the book like wealth inequality; the role of women in society and the church; the environmental crisis; immigration; the rise of polarization; populism and fundamentalism; and race relations in light of the protests over the death of George Floyd, per his publisher.
Finally, if you're feeling frustrated with the pandemic and the actions of global leaders, you're not alone: Pope Francis is, too. In Let Us Dream, Pope Francis "offers a...scathing critique of the systems and ideologies that conspired to produce the current crisis, from a global economy obsessed with profit and heedless of the people and environment it harms, to politicians who foment their people’s fear and use it to increase their own power at their people’s expense."
In a message sent to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in October, the Pope elaborated on these points, saying that the pandemic "brought to light not only our false securities, but also the inability of the world's countries to work together." He sees the pandemic as a chance for humanity "to rethink its course, to repent and to undertake an ecological conversion."
Ultimately, Let Us Dream sets out to inspire readers, as well as make them see systems through the Pope's lens of charity and generosity.
For more ways to live your best life plus all things Oprah, sign up for our newsletter!
You Might Also Like
