Join me for a Pope Francis bookclub in 2014

I’ve gotten a lot out of the interviews, sermons, and off-hand comments of Pope Francis this year, so, in 2014, I’m going to be reading through Open Mind, Faithful Heart: Reflections on Following Jesus by the then Cardinal Bergoglio.  The book contains forty eight meditations, which is nearly enough to span a year.

So, starting on January 6th, I’ll be posting a response or reflection on the essays every Monday.  I’ll make sure to include enough quotes and context that you don’t have to be reading along to join the discussion, but I’d certainly enjoy it if some of you choose to read along (and even submit guest posts).

I’m actually planning to do my weekly reading on Fridays, giving me the weekend to write the post and also solving my perennial problem of choosing a special discipline for Fridays.  (Catholics are no longer required to not eat meat on Friday year round, but the dispensation was just from that specific requirement, not from a duty to mark the day in a manner of your own choosing).

So, who plans to read along?  (And, if this book doesn’t suit your fancy, there will be a more secular colloquium coming in February more along the lines of the Company musical/book-club from a few years ago).

Turns out one of the First Things bloggers is doing a Read-City of God-in-a-Year thing. You can see the details and sign up here.