Although I rate this book at five starts out of five, I did not like this book. There is too much in it that is disturbing, even downright painful, for a person who has lived his 83 years as a struggling yet continuous member. Still, I can give five stars on the scholarship and conclusions. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to know more about the Catholic Church, as it exists now. Sadly, from my own readings, I cannot find much that I would think of as error or even prejudice. based on my other readings.

Mr. Collins places a blame of sorts on the 225 year trend of imperialism in the men who have been elected pope. Yet, even as he does this, and correctly so in my opinion, he also describes a church government, the Curia, as fractured and almost beyond control. The Catholic Church is usually seen through the lense of the current Pope yet no one person can admiinister an organization of over a billion members. What is frustrating to a casual observer is that men come to the papacy and seemingly do nothing about the government of the church. Why don't popes come into office, like for instance a new president of the United States, and replace all of the heads of the departments and agencies?

Somewhat hesitantly, I'll offer the opinion a new pope simply doesn't have the talent pool from which to select his principle helpers. Perhaps the most important position, after the pope himself, is the Secretary of State. Yet it is a foregone conclusion that to be Secretary of State of the Catholic Church, one must have served in the Church's diplomatic corps. Such an incestuous situation presents an obvious conflict between the new pope and the secretariat. Popes come and go but the secretariat remains.

One might argue that it is good that there are those who will argue with the pope. As a human being, he cannot be right all the time. And then there is that pesky fact of sin. Catholics have long expected the clergy to be saintly even as they speak and act critically toward the local pastor. The sin of a priest or bishop is magnified beyond the ability of a human to be good. But there is also the issue that priest and bishop functions at the mundane level of a business person and at the bigger-than-life position as arbiter of sinful behavior and lack of love of God. In this sort of environment, it is little wonder that the human sinfulness of priests and bishops is magnified. It isn't that a priest or bishop cannot be a good person but it is an example of the pervasiveness of evil in the world. The devil does exist, and let no one claim they have never been tempted to the limit of their ability to resist..

The elephant in any discussion of the Catholic Church is infallibility. As a practical or every-day matter, it really is a non-issue. It has only been used once since it was Defined at Vatican Council I (Definition of the Doctrine of the Assumption which had already been held by Catholics for centuries). But it is the mere existance of this doctrine around which many of the Church's problems revolve. Obviously, such a doctrine can only be held at the highest level. In support or defense of the doctrine, the Papacy has been elevated way out of proportion. Just imagine the weight this doctrine must lay on the shoulders of a man elected pope. No man should have to bear such a burden. It must be possible to admit a mistake of self or a predessor without having the roof cave in. And, because of the insidiousness of human nature, there are all those who surround the pope who will lay claim to that damnable infallibility as if it wraps those near the pope in a protective cloak..

I have not yet read the last chapter of Mr. Collins' book because that is where his prescriptions undoubtedly rest. I wanted to do this review based on what he has reported. He admits he has felt the sting of the Vatican's CDFand he seems to be placing great trust in Pope Francis being able to successfully manage the church. In that regard, I, too, pray for Francis Ad multos annos. But I also ask that Francis mimic Benedict XVI at the right time. ( )

This is a great book. The only reason I do not it give it5 stars is because it, as so many books about the church, fails to mention any role for the Holy Spirit. It is well and good to speak about the Popes as strong or weak, shy or outgoing but there seems always to be a case that the church is run only by men, and even then that those men are venal, stupid, scoundrel, or saint. The strongest evidence of the movement of the Holy Spirit is that the Church has survived for two thousand years in spite of everything.
That said, I believe Collins has done a great service. There is always much to be learned from history if only to not do the same stupid things over and over. Whether 1799 is THE lowest point in the history of the Catholic Church is open to debate. It clearly was a point that marked a change in direction.
Before considering prescriptions for the future health of the Catholic Church, one needs to ask the question: If the Pope has become the most influential man in the world, is it true, and, if it is true, what's wrong with that? Collins quotes Lord Acton's famous statement of power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is left to the reader to draw his or her own conclusions, as it is in this book.
Has the papacy always been as good as it could be? Absolutely not. Has it been exercised always for the good of the Church? Seemingly, not; but absolutely -- well, that's a question for the ages. Has the papacy been a force for good in the world? To the extent it is not a military power or an economic force, the papacy gets a pass; but if it is measured as moral force, well not so much. ( )