What Would Pope Francis Do?

Mr. Sean Salai, S.J., author of “What Would Pope Francis Do? Bringing the Good News to People in Need” returned to Jesuit High School on Tuesday (Jan. 5) to speak at Convocation.

Mr. Salai, who taught theology and coached the Jesuit speech and debate team from 2010-14, talked about how much his experience at Jesuit is woven into the book.

Salai was teaching freshman theology in the spring of 2013 when Pope Benedict XVI stepped down and two weeks later Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergolio, S.J. became Pope Francis.

It was something – a Jesuit Pope – Salai had told his students would never happen. Then, with television cameras in his classroom and the world watching, it did. That summer, Salai was part of a contingent of more than 50 from Jesuit High School who trekked to South America for two weeks for World Youth Day with Pope Francis. 

Mr. Salai now is a student at the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University in Berkeley, Calif. He is slated to be ordained a Jesuit priest in the summer of 2017.

Since leaving Jesuit, Mr. Salai has been a contributing writer at America Magazine, a Catholic weekly publication, and his work has appeared in the National Catholic Reporter, Catholic World Report, and the Civil War Book Review.

He is a graduate of the Institute on Political Journalism at Georgetown University and was a metro desk reporter at The Washington Times before entering the Jesuits in 2005. His book about Pope Francis will be available in February, click here to read reviews and purchase the book.

View a video of Mr. Salai’s Convocation and a photo slideshow below.