Jesus Wept

Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church

By: Philip Shenon

Narrated by: Richard Cohen

From the best-selling author and former New York Times investigative reporter, an unprecedented look at the defining struggles of the modern Catholic Church, told through the lives of the last seven popes—carrying us from the wake of World War II up through the present day and providing essential context around the most pressing issues faced by Pope Francis

"An extraordinary accomplishment: controversial, but crucial for discussions in today’s Catholic Church.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

When the jolly Italian peasant-turned-cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli of Venice was elected Pope John XXIII in 1958, change was in the air. The Church, many said, had refused to enter the twentieth century. In response, Pope John launched Vatican II, an “ecumenical council” that summoned hundreds of church leaders to Rome. It marked one of the most progressive turns the Church had taken in centuries: “medicine of mercy,” as Pope John called it. Yet not everyone in the Church was prepared to accept this modernization. The lines were drawn—in a battle that continues to rage into the twenty-first century.

In Jesus Wept, Philip Shenon takes us inside the Holy See to reveal its intricacies, hypocrisies, and hidden maneuverings, bringing all the momentous disputes and issues vividly to life: priestly celibacy, birth control, homosexuality, restoring ties with other Christians and Jews, shameful sex abuse crimes, the role of women in the Church.

In his rich portrayals of the popes from John to Francis, Shenon draws on research across four continents, including hundreds of interviews and the exhaustive archival material. He also brings to light other key figures in the Church, such as Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, the incredibly powerful, conservative, and staunchly anticommunist director of the Holy Office under Pius XII, who lived proudly by the motto semper idem—“always the same.” This is a consummate, vibrant history of the modern Church.

©2025 Philip Shenon (P)2025 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“With sharp portrayals of the last seven men who have served as supreme pontiffs, Jesus Wept delivers a compelling recent history of the 2,000-year-old institution whose leaders reach for heaven but often fall spectacularly, sadly, into the morass of mortal fallibility . . . Nothing is spared.”—Mary Jo McConahay, The New York Times Book Review

“Lively . . . [A] crisp account . . . Popes are people, too, and one strength of Jesus Wept is that it shows them as such.”—Cullen Murphy, Air Mail

“An impressive overview of the Catholic Church told in a neat, nuanced narrative that captures its triumphs along with its abysmal failures.”—Teddy Duncan Jr., Washington Independent Review of Books

Very informative

This book is one of the most informative about the last seven popes for the general audience. It shows detailed connections among those living in the same decades. I especially appreciated learning about the on and off relationship between Hans Kung and Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) throughout their lives. I am not sure why Richard Cohen was chosen as a narrator. I just think the ponderousness of such a voice was distracting. I have no problem with his British accent, but I would think the narrator should reflect the author. Philip Shenon is a native of San Francisco and now lives in Washington DC.

Lucid History of the Modern Church

This is an excellent presentation of a well-researched account of recent church history. Highly recommended!