In “St. Francis and Pope Francis: Prayer, Poverty, and Joy in Jesus” Dr. Alan Schreck provides wonderful insights on the connections between Pope Francis and St. Francis.  Much has been written about the “Jesuit” nature of the pontificate of Pope Francis, but not as much about the “Evangelical” spirit which unites the hearts of the Francis who lived 900 years ago and the pontiff who claimed his name.  Dr. Schreck is an engaging writer, who is capable of not only sharing relevant history of the past, but is gifted in making it come alive and meaningful for our lives today.  A fascinating work!

[powerpress]

You can find the book here

From the book description:

Dr. Alan Schreck explores the times and messages of St. Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis, bringing together their shared emphases, including:

• Conversion — their stories are different but their message the same: turn to God
• Prayer – union with Jesus is for everyone
• Poverty – the imitation of Christ heals and restores
• Church – faithfulness is the foundation for renewal
• Mission – the same in every age: share the Gospel
• Joy – the hallmark of Catholic life and possible for us today