The Online Book Club: The Church of Mercy, by Pope Francis

Fee: $50
Five Weeks

About the Book (required text for this course)

The Church of Mercy: A Vision for the Church, by Pope Francis (Loyola Press, 2014) is a selection of the pope’s remarks, many of which are homilies or general audiences. 

About the Online Book Club

Are you a person who regularly reads books and articles on spirituality and theology?

Is the religion and spirituality section of your bookstore a favorite place?

Do you often wish there was a way that you could share your insights about an author and hear what others think?

If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, whether you are reading for professional development, a committed spiritual practice, or an ongoing hunger to know more about the spiritual life, the Online Book Club is for you!

The Online Book Club offers a setting to encounter an author’s ideas and participate in conversation with others about a selected text.  In addition to providing an experienced facilitator to guide the conversation, we get you started by offering some direction to engage the author and the text.  Then the conversation unfolds in light of the interests of those in the conversation circle.  

Click here for other Online Book Club courses

Check the course schedule for the dates for the Online Book Club.

Topics

• Week 1: 
  
  • Part 1: The Good News of Christ
  • Part 2: A Poor Church for the Poor
  • Part 3: Listening to the Spirit
• Week 2:
  • Part 4: Proclamation and Testimony
  • Part 5: Full-Time Christians
  • Part 6: Shepherds with the “Odor of the Sheep”
• Week 3
  • Part 7: The Choice of the Last
  • Part 8: Demolishing the Idols
• Week 4:
  
  • Part 9: The Culture of Good
  • Part 10: Mary, Mother of Evangelization

Special Features

This course includes:

• Initial comments to introduce the book;
• Weekly questions to begin the discussion; and
• A regularly updated Resources page for further study about the topic discussed in this course.

All Crossroads courses include these features:

• Participants have access 24 hours/7 days a week to the course's password-protected web site. 
• Each participant belongs to a small Community for Conversation and faith sharing guided by a facilitator.
• The course site is usually available to participants at least three months after the course.
• An orientation in how to navigate the web site is always available.
• Technical assistance is easy to contact and prompt in returning a message.
• A Certificate of Active Participation is awarded to those who post at least three messages of substance for each week of content.

Additional Materials Needed

Pope Francis, The Church of Mercy: A Vision for the Church (Loyola Press, 2014) 

Time Commitment

A participant can expect to spend approximately 4 hours each week.  This commitment includes both preparation and interaction online.

Content Scholar:  Pope Francis