William Doino Jr. on Pope John XXIII, conservative hero :
Blessed John XXII is one of the most beloved popes in all of history—and quite possibly the most misunderstood.
Almost from the moment he was elected pope, Angelo Roncalli—or “Good Pope John,” as he came to be known—captivated the world. There was something about Roncalli’s ways—his buoyant personality and self-deprecating humor; his willingness to affirm rather than condemn—that attracted so many to him. But his personal magnetism, admirable as it was, has led many to romanticize his pontificate—as if he were some kind of papal Santa Claus—which has the paradoxical effect of devaluing it. Roncalli the man has given way to Roncalli the legend.
Dear Reader,
Can I be direct with you?
War abroad. Socialists on the rise. AI upending human life. Endless uproar online. The modern attention economy doesn’t want readers — it wants users enslaved to the tyranny of the present.
First Things is the antidote: literary excellence, timeless truths, and a fixed point of reference in a culture that has lost its bearings.
But we can’t do it without readers like you.
Our goal: Raise $150,000 by November 1 to sustain First Things in the year ahead.
Your gift anchors readers in the permanent things.
Make your Fall Campaign gift now using the button below.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Giovanni Del Piero, Director of the Editor’s Circle, at gdelpiero@firstthings.com or 212-627-1985.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
The Church in the Age of Therapy
In 1966, Philip Rieff wrote in The Triumph of the Therapeutic that “Religious man was born to…
Canada’s Deadliest Blind Spot
On September 20, the Daily Mail ran a story with the provocative headline, “Our 83-year-old Christian grandmother…
The Faithful Joy of Dolly Parton and Fulton Sheen
Dolly Parton and Fulton Sheen seem to have had little in common. She favored rhinestones; he wore…
