Did Pope Francis Ever Read Imitation of Christ?
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Just as every famous poet has read Shakespeare, there are a few Catholic writers who have been read by crowds of Popes and saints.
Imitation of Christ is one of these great books.
Amongst their great readers are St Francis De Sales, St Ignatius of Loyola, and Bl. Pope John Paul I. However, did Pope Francis ever read The Imitation of Christ?
But first… who is Pope Francis?
Who is Pope Francis
Pope Francis is a pope of radical humility and love.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Most people would expect a pope in their early life to be found in a monastery. However, as a young man, Bergoglio worked as a nightclub bouncer, chemical technician and janitor.
In his early twenties, he nearly died from a severe lung infection, resulting in the removal of part of one lung. This confrontation with death taught him just how fragile life can be. Shortly after, he entered the Society of Jesus, drawn to a life of mission and sharing the Gospel.
Ordained a priest in 1969, Bergoglio quickly rose to leadership, becoming Jesuit Provincial of Argentina at just 36 years old. These were dark years. The country was descending into a dictatorship, and a shadow of fear covered Argentina. It is undeniable that this period showed him what happens when power is abused, and how true Catholic leadership must have love. These years helped form Bergoglio as a leader who serves.
In 1992, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires and later archbishop. There, his warm priestly heart became unmistakable. He lived simply, cooked his own meals and spent hours among the poor, the sick, and those on the margins. In 2008, he washed the feet of 12 recovering drug addicts to offer them mercy and support.
Created a cardinal in 2001, Bergoglio avoided the spotlight. Yet in 2013, after the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the Church turned to him. Elected pope at 76, he chose the name Francis, signalling his desire for a Church that protects the poor and loves peace.
From the first moments of his pontificate, he demonstrated great humility, asking the crowd to pray for him before blessing them. He was instrumental in calling Catholics to embody mercy, repentance, prayer, and love for the least.
The Church can often be viewed by some as a far-off institution. But for Francis, he viewed it as a “field hospital,” not because doctrine is unimportant, but because wounded souls must be met before they can be healed.
Pope Francis has had a large role in advocating care for the environment and creation. He was critical of a ‘throw-away’ culture, whilst millions go without.
Pope Francis remains a pastor at heart. His life reminds the Church that holiness is not loud, power is not absolute, and Christ is found most clearly among the poor, the broken, and the forgotten.
What is the Imitation of Christ?
Written in the 15th century, The Imitation of Christ is a collection of short meditations focused on growing in holiness every day. Thomas Kempis aimed to teach people who just entered the monastery how to be good monks. However, soon, the public saw how his wisdom could improve their own lives.
This book isn’t a massive theological book or very complicated. But rather, each chapter is only a few pages long.
The three main virtues this book tries to equip the reader with are humility, detachment and purity of heart.
In society, we can be excessively attached to so many things. Jobs, money, status and pleasure. Thomas à Kempis shows how to shift that attachment toward God, so we enjoy these goods without being enslaved by them.
What makes it enduring is its simplicity. The author’s voice is one of a mentor, not a professor. He steers readers away from pride, worldliness, and distraction, urging a patient, faithful devotion to Jesus.
Millions of copies of this book have been sold. However, one thing that put this book so high in this list was not just its ability to touch the lives of so many regular Catholics, but also canonised saints and Popes.
Did Pope Francis Read the Imitation of Christ?
Whilst many Popes, Pius XII and Pius XI, called the Imitation of Christ a golden book, Pope Francis’s reference to the Imitation of Christ is subtle. It’s so subtle that many people have overread it without realising.
In 2013, Pope Francis gave an Apostolic Exhortation about evangelisation, called ‘Evangelium Gaudi’. In one part of the text, it says:
One important challenge is to show that the solution will never be found in fleeing from a personal and committed relationship with God, which, at the same time, commits us to serving others. This happens frequently nowadays, as believers seek to hide or keep apart from others, or quietly flit from one place to another or from one task to another, without creating deep and stable bonds. Imaginatio locorum et mutatio multos fefellit. This is a false remedy which cripples the heart and, at times, the body as well. We need to help others to realise that the only way is to learn how to encounter others with the right attitude, which is to accept and esteem them as companions along the way, without internal resistance. Better yet, it means learning to find Jesus in the faces of others, in their voices, in their pleas, and learning to suffer in the embrace of the crucified Jesus whenever we are unjustly attacked or meet with ingratitude, never tiring of our decision to live in fraternity.
The Latin text in Evangelium Gaudi translates to “Dreaming of different places, and moving from one to another, has misled many.” This insight is derived from Book 1, Chapter 9 of Imitation of Christ.
Whilst this doesn’t give conclusive evidence whether Pope Francis has read the whole book, it demonstrates that he was aware that Imitation of Christ is a valuable text of Catholic spirituality.
It is likely that Pope Francis read at least part of the book.
A Book Adored By Saints and Popes
Imitation of Christ is a unique book. It’s one adored by saints, popes and ordinary people alike. And amongst those was possibly Pope Francis.
Although it can be a confronting read, it has led many people closer to God.
You can get a copy of Imitation of Christ here at 10% off.
God Bless,
Virtue Books and Gifts