Pope John Paul II was a long time dying. Plagued by illness and accidents for over a decade, there seemed to be continuous speculation about his state of health. Yet he outlived many of those tapped to succeed him, and a good number of those who foretold his death. His determination to remain in office to the end generated enormous respect for the man, something reflected in the turnout at his funeral.
Most biographies of John Paul II have characterised him as a man of immovable integrity in a world of shifting principles. His role in liberating Poland from communism and bringing down the Iron Curtain, along with his travels across the world, enhanced his reputation as an man of action, a dynamic figure doing battle with the forces of evil.
But, as John Cornwell’s book illustrates, the pontificate of John Paul II can be interpreted in a very different light. The Pontiff in Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II is not the hatchet job it has been described as by some commentators, but it does offer a critical assessment of John Paul’s 26 years in office.
The book’s early chapters retrace Karol Wojtyla’s road to Rome. It’s clear that his Polish upbringing was a crucial factor in colouring his world view. The premature loss of a brother and then his parents, his early devotion to the Virgin Mary, occupation of Poland by the Nazis, then takeover by the communists – all would make their mark on the man who would be Pope.
Having dealt with Wojtyla’s rise through the ranks of the Church and his surprise elevation to the papacy in 1978, the author goes on to describe how John Paul II set about changing his Church. The Pope’s historic visit to Poland, his support for Solidarity, and his travels to the four quarters of the globe were the most visible signs that here was a very different pontiff from his predecessors.
But it was the attempt on the Pope’s life in 1981 that, Cornwell suggests, took the pontificate into a stratospheric dimension. His brush with death convinced John Paul that he had been saved for a reason, and that reason becomes more apparent as Cornwell deals with the mystery known as the third secret of Fatima.
Article comments
1 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!
2 - GL Hauptfleisch
This article has been selected as an Editors' Pick. Congratulations!
3 - CAH
Very good!
It brings out the author's ambiguities very nicely!
Keep up the good work.
4 - Mark Nemetz
I found an incredible book which I just read on being Gay, Spirituality, the Catholic priesthood. I could not put it down!
That Undeniable Longing â€" My Journey to and from the Priesthood
By Mark Tedesco
246pp,
Academy Chicago Publishers
ISBN: 0-89733-542-2
Price: $23.95
This honesty in this book is overwhelming. Yes, it tells the life of a priest whose life was filled with Latin, tradition, celibacy, poverty, and helping others find their way. It is the story of one who dedicated his life to the church, who struggled with his own identity and faith. It tells the life of a priest, of a gay priest.
Yet there is something more to Tedesco’s account than the circumstances of the seminary and a catholic parish. The title hints at the essence of the account: there is a longing which is so human, which is so fundamental to existence, that anyone of any or no religious background can relate to this story. It is one who searches for meaning, for love and happiness, finding avenues in some directions and dead ends in others. It is the story of one who looked for the answers from without instead of within. It is the story of one who overcame much fear and uncertainty, who reached a sense of fulfillment which was very enlightening as I went from chapter to chapter.
This book engrossed me from the first page, as he asks himself : "How did I arrive at this point? Could I ever have imagined, long ago on a winter day in Rome, that I would find myself on this new path, my dreams not shattered, but transformed. And that elusive, relentless desire, for happiness - where is it leading me?" The reader is drawn in to ask the same questions: do I have any regrets? What choices have I made that I would make differently now?
The life of a priest is not easy. The author recounts priestly life from the “inside”, giving a rare glimpse of what it is like to be a father to his people. He experiences deeply the confines of being a priest, and we are carried on his journey, which began at a monastery outside of Rome at which a pseudo saint had much influence, to the North American College, the most prestigious American seminary, located in the Vatican.
You will feel joy, you will laugh, you will be angry and frustrated, you will be carried by this story, and you will feel redeemed at the end.
Once I started the book I could not put it down. I found myself examining myself, my sense of meaning, my faith, my life beyond the everyday duties with which I fill my time.
Mark went through these things and came out on the other side. It is a fascinating journey that you will find yourself on when you pick up this book!