Curious about the coming Catholic Conclave? We’ve got a book for that!

The movie is so good that it’s up for 8 Oscars!

But if you want to know what really can happen at a Conclave? Read this book!

By DAVID CRUMM
Founding Editor of Front Edge Publishing

Curious about the coming Catholic Conclave? This month, many of our writers and readers have told me that they are closely following the declining health of Pope Francis—and millions around the world are praying for him on a daily basis.

That’s one reason that the new feature film—from the Robert Harris novel, directed by Edward Berger and starring Ralph Fiennes—is causing such a stir around the world. In addition to the Oscar nominations, the film has an impressive 93 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 296 film critics’ reviews.

As a journalist who has covered religion around the world for half a century, including occasional reporting from the Vatican, I can confirm that this film is both a suspenseful drama and an honest reflection of viewpoints that collide when Catholic leaders gather to discuss the future of the church.

What moved me deeply was the filmmakers’ efforts to highlight sincere struggles with faith shared by all Christians—whatever our denomination might be. The film will leave most viewers feeling inspired and hopeful—a real gift, considering that the Catholic church typically is a Hollywood setting that’s riddled with dark secrets. Remember The DaVinci Code?

The Conclave ultimately shows us church leaders who are sincere Christians, moved by their love of God and the world’s most needy.

However—even this highly praised film is a Hollywood’s “take” on a conclave, which means there are some very unlikely twists and turns in this screenplay designed to punch up the movie’s dramatic impact.

Want to know more about real conclaves?

We’ve got a book for that!

Perfect for individual reading and group discussion, we are pleased to recommend: Beacon of Justice, Community, and Hope: How NCR has sustained independent journalism from Vatican II to Pope Francis

The book follows the 60-year history of the National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company, covering the nation, the world, the Catholic Church, and the Catholic faith. From the Second Vatican Council through the era of Pope Francis, this nonprofit has served as the leading independent Catholic news source reporting on the church’s involvement in war and peace, ecojustice, and cultural issues worldwide.

And—reporting on conclaves.

Just how important has conclave coverage been for readers of The National Catholic Reporter? The book reports:

Between the day Pope Benedict announced his resignation to the week after Pope Francis was elected, NCRonline.org filed over 150 stories and over 1.7 million searchers clicked on the NCR home page. They clicked on over 7.7 million pages.

And here’s a tip for readers especially interested in conclave-related details: Consider buying the $9.99 Kindle version of the book, because the entire text then will be easily searchable. So, you can skip around to read sections that seem most relevant right now.

Here are a few examples: You won’t want to miss—

• Chapter 14: The Year of Three Popes—The John Paul II Era Begins
• Chapter 61: The New Pope—Cardinal Ratzinger Becomes Benedict XVI
• Chapter 77: Enter Francis, Global Parish Priest—A Ministry of Mercy

Those chapters are easy to enjoy with just a few clicks—starting right here in Amazon—and only $9.99 for the Kindle version.