As a lifelong feminist and member of the Catholic Network for Women’s Equality (CNWE), the workings of recent papacies and the Vatican have often been a source of anger and pain. For decades, I have witnessed the systemic dysfunction of the hierarchy regarding the global clergy sex abuse crisis, the legacy of Catholic Indian residential schools, the exclusion of women from ministry and leadership, and the church’s resistance to living into the vision of Vatican II.

Yet when Pope Francis was elected in 2013, he indeed seemed to be a ‘disruptor’ of the status quo. Personally, I have not been so inspired by a Pope since John XXIII. During the tenure of Pope Francis, I have appreciated solidarity in words and actions with those who are marginalized. In terms of the synodal process, I value his emphasis on dialogue, and particularly the importance of listening and collegiality. Francis understands that alienation from the Church is a major problem, and that people will only continue or return to life in the Church if they feel welcomed and included. He envisions “a cambio de epoca” (‘change of era’) and his Jesuit roots have instilled a trust in the movement of the Spirit in the Church.

I was therefore very interested to read Michael Higgins’ book, “The Jesuit Disruptor: A Personal Portrait of Pope Francis”. Higgins admits to an early “obsession” with Popes and the drama of the Vatican and with a wry wit, he paints a loving and discerning portrait of Pope Francis. Higgins’ experience as a Vatican commentator, author and academic, offers a medley of observations related to Pope Francis and he writes in an informative, engaging and ultimately, hopeful way.

Higgins highlights the gradual shift of Jorge Bergoglio from a more conservative cleric and inexperienced and authoritarian Jesuit leader, to one who sees that leadership requires being open to change and permitting a process of dialogue and encounter among peoples who live with an awareness of the boundless mercy of God.

Higgins details the ways in which Francis is a Pope who leads from the heart, more than he leads from abstract intellectual argument. At the core of his Jesuit spirituality is engagement in the world. Francis also seeks to lead with an embodied faith that has at its core the example of mercy of Jesus’ deep understanding and empathy. The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises inform Francis’ balance of spirit, and engagement with ‘the now’ – the experience of our evolving lives and times.

Higgins argues that while Cardinal Bergoglio did not rise from the ranks of the Roman curia, he does understand it. He is very critical of a ‘culture of clericalism’ that continues to be pervasive in the Church, and glaringly evident in the abuse of power in the ongoing global clerical sexual abuse scandal. In 2018, his “Letter to the People of God”, Pope Francis acknowledged the devastation of clerical sexual abuse and recognized the role of victims for raising awareness that things must change. In 2020, Francis released a report that disclosed damning institutional failures.

In the Canadian context, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and subsequent discovery of unmarked graves at Catholic Residential Schools documented the extent of abuse of Indigenous peoples by Church clergy and religious. Pope Francis did meet with Indigenous representatives in Rome, and after repeated requests to do so, came to Canada in July 2022 to offer an apology. Clearly more still needs to be done on the long path to reconciliation between the Catholic Church and Indigenous Peoples in Canada. While Higgins portrayal of Pope Francis in this book is largely positive, he does reference for example, critique of Francis’ desire for dialogue when it comes to being willing to engage with authoritarian regimes such as Russia and China.

Many Catholics today who, like myself, seek change in the church will resonate with the theologians that have inspired Francis on his spiritual journey. Higgins highlights the influences of Thomas Merton, Bernard Lonergan, Richard Rohr, Ilia Delio, Thomas Berry, and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin among others.

When elected Pope, Bergoglio chose the name Francis- primarily inspired by Francis of Assisi who was both ‘for the poor’ and for Creation and Higgins notes that Francis also reflects some of the zeal of 16th C Jesuit co-founder and missionary, Francis Xavier. Higgins notes also the influence of Francis of Assisi in the two wonderful documents Francis wrote on the ecological crisis: Laudate Deum and Laudato si. To support these documents, Francis was also able to draw on the wisdom of Jesuits, historically known for their pursuits of math and science, as well as 80 pontifical scientists. In these documents, Francis lays bear the harms of unbridled capitalism, presents a deep and informed love for Earth, and provides strategies for right relationship with Earth.

Perhaps the greatest example of Higgins’ portrayal of Francis as a ‘disruptor’ is his convoking of the Synod on Synodality – involving a two-year process of prayer, discernment and consultation with Catholics around the world and including two Synod Assemblies in Rome. For the first time ever at a Synod, there were 70 non-bishop voting delegates from all parts of the globe including young people and women. In addition, members of Catholic reform movements gathered in Rome to remind delegates of the universal call for substantive changes in church governance.

At the heart of the Synodal process is a desire to listen and engage with those who have been marginalized by the Church and the first Assembly was grounded in a prayerful Ignatian model of roundtable ‘Conversations in the Spirit’. These round table conversations represented people from every continent: men, women, lay, religious, young and old gathered in a profound process of deep listening. I had goosebumps when I listened to Sister Elizabeth Davis explain this very spiritual, transparent and inclusive process to the CNWE folks gathered in Rome. Such a powerful and hopeful process! In light of the many scandals in the Church, I see the Synodal process as having the potential to recover a more credible and life-giving Church.

I particularly appreciated that Higgins went beyond the Curia to offer a snapshot of some of the Canadian voices for change in the Church, notably the Catholic Network for Women’s Equality and the witness of Canadian Mark Guevarra of Concerned Lay Catholics (CLC) who was investigated and fired by the Archdiocese of Edmonton for being in a same-sex relationship. As one of 9 members of CNWE who met with Michael Higgins in Rome during the Synod, I have appreciated his recognition of CNWE’s 43 years of work for women’s greater participation in the Church.

Higgins draws attention to the special contributions of CNWE, in particular our participation in Doing Theology from the Existential Peripheries, a research project of the Migrants and Refugees Section (M&R) of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Holy See. Higgins quotes from our report, “Embodying a Listening, Inclusive, Synodal Church” as an example of voices calling for women’s restoration as ministers and leaders in the Church.

While together with the members of CNWE, we hold onto hope for change, we are also skeptical. While the Synod calls for an inclusive Church, a much wider tent, Pope Francis continues to speak of women as ‘special’ rather than equal, and women’s role as deacons in the church as requiring yet more study. Regarding women’s ordination, Pope Francis has declared a firm ‘no’. Similarly, while Francis permits the individual blessing of LGBTQ+ persons, he does not permit the blessing or marriage of same-sex couples.

Reform-minded Catholics are also aware that there are strong forces in the Church that are fearful of change and actively working against these changes. It remains to be seen if the Catholic church can become truly embrace synodality so that there is a more decentralized model of co-responsibility for decision-making in the Church.

In conclusion, I share Michael Higgins deep gratitude for Pope Francis as a ‘disruptor’ and the hope for the possibility of change that Francis has encouraged with the Synodal process. Francis is committed to a theology grounded in experience, not ideology, which leaves open the opportunity for ongoing evolution. Ultimately it seems, according to Higgins, that this Synod will be about incremental not abrupt change.

As Higgins says, his portrait of Pope Francis is “part polemic, part contextual probe, and part a veteran papal watcher’s personal essay” and like every good book, it will stimulate further conversation among its readers. It forms part of the dialogue that enlivens the mission of the Church to be, in the image of John XXIII, not about ‘guarding a museum’ but rather tending and flourishing an ever-changing garden of life. I am filled with excitement and hope as I finish this wonderful book.