Philip Shenon

Well, he's really the hero of this book, but he is this roly-poly Italian man, balding, treasures his peasant roots, who suddenly finds himself thrust into the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. And he makes clear from the very start that, as you say, the grim sobriety of Pius's reign is over. He loves telling jokes. He loves mocking the idea of an infallible pope.

Well, he's really the hero of this book, but he is this roly-poly Italian man, balding, treasures his peasant roots, who suddenly finds himself thrust into the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. And he makes clear from the very start that, as you say, the grim sobriety of Pius's reign is over. He loves telling jokes. He loves mocking the idea of an infallible pope.

He is really a blank slate when he's elected in terms of doctrinal matters. But he quickly makes clear that he's ready to overhaul the Catholic Church. He's ready to invite the world's bishops to come to Rome to remake it as they see fit without his interference.

He is really a blank slate when he's elected in terms of doctrinal matters. But he quickly makes clear that he's ready to overhaul the Catholic Church. He's ready to invite the world's bishops to come to Rome to remake it as they see fit without his interference.

He is really a blank slate when he's elected in terms of doctrinal matters. But he quickly makes clear that he's ready to overhaul the Catholic Church. He's ready to invite the world's bishops to come to Rome to remake it as they see fit without his interference.

And this leads to the Second Vatican Council, where the world's bishops are invited to Rome and told they can remake the church as they wish without his interference.

And this leads to the Second Vatican Council, where the world's bishops are invited to Rome and told they can remake the church as they wish without his interference.

And this leads to the Second Vatican Council, where the world's bishops are invited to Rome and told they can remake the church as they wish without his interference.

You know, going into this project, I think I had in the back of my mind the idea that, you know, the doctrine of priestly celibacy, that the priest couldn't marry and have families and all the rest of it. That this was sort of eternal and had been decreed in the Gospels. Well, that's not true at all. It's not in the Gospels.

You know, going into this project, I think I had in the back of my mind the idea that, you know, the doctrine of priestly celibacy, that the priest couldn't marry and have families and all the rest of it. That this was sort of eternal and had been decreed in the Gospels. Well, that's not true at all. It's not in the Gospels.

You know, going into this project, I think I had in the back of my mind the idea that, you know, the doctrine of priestly celibacy, that the priest couldn't marry and have families and all the rest of it. That this was sort of eternal and had been decreed in the Gospels. Well, that's not true at all. It's not in the Gospels.

In fact, most of Jesus' apostles and the larger band of disciples, they were married. The apostle Peter, the first bishop of Rome, had a wife and a mother-in-law. And in three of the four Gospels, Jesus heals his mother-in-law. What happens is after the first thousand years after the crucifixion, a thousand years in which priests got married and had kids,

In fact, most of Jesus' apostles and the larger band of disciples, they were married. The apostle Peter, the first bishop of Rome, had a wife and a mother-in-law. And in three of the four Gospels, Jesus heals his mother-in-law. What happens is after the first thousand years after the crucifixion, a thousand years in which priests got married and had kids,

In fact, most of Jesus' apostles and the larger band of disciples, they were married. The apostle Peter, the first bishop of Rome, had a wife and a mother-in-law. And in three of the four Gospels, Jesus heals his mother-in-law. What happens is after the first thousand years after the crucifixion, a thousand years in which priests got married and had kids,

and knew the comfort and the chaos of a family. A strong-willed pope in the 11th century by the name of Gregory decreed that from that moment on, priests and bishops could no longer marry. They had to be, in fact, fully celibate. And that included men who were then already married.

and knew the comfort and the chaos of a family. A strong-willed pope in the 11th century by the name of Gregory decreed that from that moment on, priests and bishops could no longer marry. They had to be, in fact, fully celibate. And that included men who were then already married.

and knew the comfort and the chaos of a family. A strong-willed pope in the 11th century by the name of Gregory decreed that from that moment on, priests and bishops could no longer marry. They had to be, in fact, fully celibate. And that included men who were then already married.

Gregory's motivation, historians will tell you, had something to do with the scandals of a group of shockingly promiscuous bishops in Rome. But there's also reason to believe it had something to do with money. that if priests were allowed to marry and have children when they died, their estates, their homes or anything else of value would be turned over to their survivors.

Gregory's motivation, historians will tell you, had something to do with the scandals of a group of shockingly promiscuous bishops in Rome. But there's also reason to believe it had something to do with money. that if priests were allowed to marry and have children when they died, their estates, their homes or anything else of value would be turned over to their survivors.

Gregory's motivation, historians will tell you, had something to do with the scandals of a group of shockingly promiscuous bishops in Rome. But there's also reason to believe it had something to do with money. that if priests were allowed to marry and have children when they died, their estates, their homes or anything else of value would be turned over to their survivors.