Hailed by many as a voice of moral clarity and reviled by others for contributing to a post-reform retrenchment in Catholicism, Pope John Paul II remains an intriguing figure in the waning days of his papacy. In this compilation, Loyola Press's senior acquisitions editor Durepos presents the major themes of John Paul's writings and addresses in the form of a devotional to encourage use of the book in lectio divina, reflective sacred reading. Although much of what John Paul has said during his long tenure as leader of the world's billion-plus Catholics has been highly public, the sheer volume of his words is daunting for anyone interested in his thoughts about a given topic. Durepos has performed a valuable service by synthesizing the pope's thoughts in an easy-to-read format that inspires prayer and reflection. He draws on diverse sources, including the pope's letters, encyclicals, addresses before thousands of pilgrims, and messages to smaller gatherings of bishops. Predictably, some of the strongest and most prophetic words included here are those John Paul has spoken on morality, Christian conscience and the family. Even though a few of the chapters deal specifically with such Catholic practices as the Eucharist and the Mass, most of the content is relevant to all Christians. (Apr.)
