The core book is Philip Shenon's Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church.  The book provides an unprecedented look at the defining struggles of the modern Catholic Church from  the end of WW II until the present day. We will spend time on each pontiff but of particular interest is Pope Pius XII  and his controversial interactions with Mussolini and Hitler; Pope John XXIII who ushered in major reforms culminating in Vatican II;  John Paul II  who was a major actor in the fall of Communism in Poland;  Pope Francis of Argentina who also brought great changes to Catholicism during his papacy.    We will examine the struggles between liberals and conservatives, over modernity,  clerical celibacy, the role of women, abortion, birth control, gays, the relationship with other religions, obligations  to the poor, the role of the laity, the Vatican's bureaucracy,  the liturgy, and  the sexual abuse scandal. We will also view three films including Conclave, which explores how Popes are chosen, The Two Popes detailing the relationship between the conservative Pope Benedict XVI and the future Pope Francis and Spotlight, which examines the sexual abuse scandal in Boston.