Asian edition of Pope Francis’ biography released

29 April, 2013 - The first Asian edition of Pope Francis’ biography was released last week by Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay. The book titled "Francis, Pope of a New World,” published by the Asian Trading Corporation (ATC), was released in Bangalore on Thursday. The low-cost Asian edition of the biography in English provides keys to understanding a relatively unknown cardinal as a surprise and even a revolutionary choice. It explains why the cardinal electors of the Catholic Church set aside political and diplomatic calculations to elect a pope to lead the renewal and purification of the worldwide Church. In addition, there is also a background on Benedict's resignation and the process of electing Pope Francis. The biography is authored by a Vatican expert, Andrea Tornielli, an Italian who is acclaimed as the best-sourced, most accurate and one of the most knowledgeable reporters among the unique band of experts on the Vatican who travel with the Pope. Cardinal Gracias released the biography on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Holy Ghost Church at the Redemptorists Seminary Grounds in Bangalore. Cardinal Gracias, along with three other Indians, was among the world’s 115 cardinal electors who participated in the Conclave that chose Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, as head of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13. The Jesuit Pope assumed the name Francis, after Italy’s renowned patron saint Francis of Assisi, a man of utter humility and poverty. Cardinal Gracias has been recently chosen by Pope Francis to be part of an 8-member cardinals group to advise him on the central government of the Catholic Church.
It was also an occasion to release "The Holy Bible (Revised Standard Version - Second Catholic Edition)," a recent revision of an acclaimed Bible translation in English. (Source: CCBI)