An English version of the first biography of Pope Leo XIV, published in French less than a week after his election on May 8, is now available in Australia. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
At 7.13 pm on May 8, Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti stepped onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to announce to the world that there was a new pope, Robert Francis Prevost, Leo XIV.
On May 11, Samuel Pruvot, a senior reporter for the French weekly Famille chrétienne and Marc Leboucher, a French publisher, had sent the text of a 160-page biography to a printer. By May 14, 10,000 copies had been delivered to bookshops in France.
It was an extraordinary effort, the fruit of a highly disciplined team of journalists who had been preparing for the papal election for weeks.
And now it is available in an English translation as Leo XIV – An Apostle of Peace, published by ATF Press, an Australia-based independent book seller.
“Many people have asked me if we used artificial intelligence” to produce the book so quickly, Mr Leboucher said . “In fact, only human intelligence worked on this story.”
The book was recently launched at North Harbour Parish in Manly Vale by Fr Peter Jones OSA, the Augustinian Prior Provincial in Australia.
“The days following the election were days of humble, joyful gratitude among the Augustinians and with many in our ministries,” said Fr Jones said.
“When he was Prior General of the Order, Robert Prevost had visited Australia on six separate occasions. His warmth, accessibility and ease of presence are deeply cherished among many of the laity associated with the Order’s ministries here.”
Fr Jones used the launch to reflect upon the meaning of the election of “our Augustinian brother, someone so many of us knew and experienced personally.”
Obviously, this quickie biography has its limitations, but many people are eager to know as much as they can as fast as they can about the new pope.
As Fr Jones said, “More considered scholarly works lie in the future.”
FULLS TORY
Fast-working journalists have already published a Pope Leo biography (By Michael Cook, The Catholic Weekly)
