Overview
Pope John Paul II led the Catholic Church during a time of great upheaval. During his pontificate (1978-2005), the Soviet Union and the Berlin wall collapsed, and great strides were made for freedom worldwide. As the first non-Italian pope in more than four centuries, the Polish John Paul was also the very first Slavic pope ever. As a young man, he experienced Nazi persecution and had to train for the priesthood in a seminary conducted "underground" because Catholic religious training for vocations had been outlawed. At the same time, he remained active in the Polish anti-Nazi insurgency and helped Jews escape the Holocaust. Later, as pontiff, he forged new relationships between the Roman Catholic Church and Jewish denominations worldwide and played a pivotal role in the downfall of the Soviet Union. This engaging and visually appealing biography follows the arch of the pontiff's life in the context of world politics.Synopsis
Pope John Paul II led the Catholic Church during a time of great upheaval. During his pontificate (1978-2005), the Soviet Union and the Berlin wall collapsed, and great strides were made for freedom worldwide. As the first non-Italian pope in more than four centuries, the Polish John Paul was also the very first Slavic pope ever. As a young man, he experienced Nazi persecution and had to train for the priesthood in a seminary conducted "underground" because Catholic religious training for vocations had been outlawed. At the same time, he remained active in the Polish anti-Nazi insurgency and helped Jews escape the Holocaust. Later, as pontiff, he forged new relationships between the Roman Catholic Church and Jewish denominations worldwide and played a pivotal role in the downfall of the Soviet Union. This engaging and visually appealing biography follows the arch of the pontiff's life in the context of world politics.
Children's Literature
Edward J. Renehan has written a balanced biography, and begins his book with Pope John Paul II's last moments on Earth. Renehan quotes Reverend Billy Graham describing the Pope as "unquestionably the most influential voice for morality and peace in the world during the last 100 years." But everyone didn't agree with Graham's words. Reformers within the Catholic Church complained that the Pope was too conservative on matters of abortion, divorce, homosexuality, marriage for priests, and women in the priesthood. But no matter what his views were, he was still respected as a leader of the Catholic faith. Over 300,000 mourners, kings, queens, and as many as 70 presidents came to mourn him in St. Peter's Square. Pope John Paul II was born in 1920 in Poland. He was named after his father, Karol Wojtyla, a retired army officer and tailor. His mother, Emilia, was a school teacher. An older brother named Edmund rounded out the family. As a young man, he studied for the priesthood in an "underground" seminary because in Nazi-controlled Poland, Catholic training was forbidden. When John Paul I died unexpectedly, Wojtyla was chosen as the new pope. He became the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. Through physical ailments and world wide problems, Pope John Paul II remained a compassionate world leader. Color and black and white photographs included, as well as chronology, bibliography, and suggested readings.