Reviews for Three Popes and the Cardinal

The average rating for Three Popes and the Cardinal based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-05-28 00:00:00 Jeff Dawson It isn’t often an author rewards you on the next-to-last page of a work of non-fiction—well at least it hasn’t been my experience anyway. However, for me, one of best parts of Malachi Martin’s Three Popes and the Cardinal was a quote he included from Pope Paul VI’s Apostolic Letter, Octagesima Adveniens (A Call to Action) on the occasion of the Eightieth Anniversary of "Rerum Novarum: Encyclical Letter of Pope Leo XIII on the Condition of the Working Classes": ‘There is an urgent need to remake at the level of the street, of the neighborhood or of the great agglomerative dwellings the social fabric whereby man may be able to develop the needs of his personality. Centers of special interest and of culture must be created or developed at the community and parish levels with different forms of associations, recreational centers, and spiritual and community gatherings where the individual can escape from isolation and form anew fraternal relationships.’The author had just spent 294 pages trying to convince me—you—us—that this man has no business being pope. In fact, his chapter is entitled, “The First Un-Pope”. No doubt, what Giovanni Battista Montini, Pope Paul VI envisioned and wrote about didn’t come to be in his lifetime, but then I think Jesus had a few setbacks in His day too; the point being, Christianity cannot be judged by the same standards of ‘success’ we set for a business or social function. As I mentioned when I did my initial review, I read this book as background for a film series I’m doing for our church on Pope John Paul II, (Karol Wojtyla) in honor of his beatification this past May. We'll be showing films on JPII and two of his predecessors: John XXIII (Pope) and Pope Paul VI. Malachi Martin’s book actually deals with John XXIII (Roncalli), Paul VI (Montini), Pius XII (Pacelli) and Augustin Cardinal Bea but as it was one of the few books I could actually find on Paul/Montini I decided to read it. There is dearth of information available about Paul VI—overshadowed as he was by his famous predecessor, John XXIII, and successor, JPII. As it is, the book, Three Popes and the Cardinal, isn’t about the men themselves so much as it’s about the failure of Vatican II—in the eyes of author. The trouble with Malachi’s assessment is its prematurity. He is writing in 1972, a scant seven years after the council concluded. Granted the state of the Catholic Church and the world was at a low point, but was the council to blame? Had the Church read or understood any of the documents produced by the council? The author doesn’t mention those. Had the Spirit of the Council, been implemented? Ecumenical councils often require decades for their full impact to be realized, and this even back when the world was smaller, communication slower and more tedious, cumbersome. Perhaps we think because we have lightning fast technology and touch-of-the-button information nowadays, it also means we have instant understanding, but alas the human mind still works at the speed it always did. In fact, could it be because we have more information to absorb and religious ‘news’ is of a lower priority today than it used to be, that the Spirit the Fathers of Vatican II hoped to impart to the world through their writings will take even longer to reach the minds and hearts of the intended? In any event, the book is provocative, and fast-paced. I recommend it regardless of where you see yourself in the post-Vatican II issue, so long as you can hold on tight and don’t mind getting wet—the river races very fast and it’s an exciting ride! Mr. Martin is a no-holds barred writer. I thought some of his comments unnecessarily included for shock value, but perhaps that’s just me. I did appreciate his fascinating Christian history in the playful, ironic way he emphasized how power, the lack of it, gaining it, losing it, trying to keep it motivates so much of what the Church has done over the centuries. I’ve never heard/read/seen Church history described quite that way and it brings out things I’ve never thought of before. I think Martin has some excellent points. I don’t think any of it is quite as simple as he puts it however. Still, as I wrote above, it makes for thought provoking reading! For more information on some of Pope Paul VI's impact on the post-conciliar world, check out: Pope Paul VI Institute and POPE PAUL VI AS PROPHET: HAVE HUMANAE VITAE'S BOLD PREDICTIONS COME TRUE?

Review # 2 was written on 2013-04-12 00:00:00 Victoria Martinez Before his traditionalist phase, Malachi Martin had an, "ALL have sinned and come short if the glory of God " phase. I much prefer this phase.