After Pope Benedict XVI's historic resignation of the papal office in February 2013, the College of Cardinals elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires -- now Pope Francis -- as the new leader of the world's estimated 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.

But who is this new Pope -- really?

In Francis, a New World Pope, Michel Cool surveys Pope Francis's journey to the papacy, his convictions, his personality, his writings, and the challenges he faces in his new office -- governance of the church, new evangelization in secularized societies, and poverty, among many others.

Peppered throughout with anecdotes that demonstrate the humanity of Pope Francis -- and his sensitivity to those who are most distant from the Church -- this book paints a vibrant portrait of the man who has chosen for his motto miserando atque eligendo: "lowly but chosen."