Pope Francis: Builder of Bridges by Emma Otheguy (review)

As a kid, Jorge Bergoglio loved soccer; as a young man, he worked in a chemistry lab; well into his thirties, he became a Jesuit priest, carrying out a people-centered ministry in his native Argentina, far from the administrative and theological concerns of the Vatican. Then, in 2013, he became pope, choosing the name Francis to reflect his bond with the poor, who were championed by his favorite saint, Francis of Assisi. Francis' visions for the Catholic Church may incite contention within the ranks, but his highly visible outreach to the poor, to refugees, to children, to prisoners has won admiration among plenty of non-Catholics, making this picture-book biography most welcome. Otheguy attends to Jorge's spiritual development and sense of justice throughout childhood and connects it clearly to his issues of concern as pontiff. Neither she nor Dominguez, however, consistently conveys Catholic arcana to a general audience, leaving many to wonder what's going on with rituals such as consecration, scriptural reasons for washing a prisoner's feet, and layers of clerical garb described as "simple clothing." Some explanation is found in an author's note and glossary, but culling it can interrupt the flow of the text. Nonetheless, Dominguez's stylized compositions and deft portraiture will hold audience attention, and Catholic religious educators will appreciate the warmth of this introduction. Timeline, bibliography, and quotation sources are included.