Product Description

Spiritual father of millions, globally influential leader: Pope John Paul II's words have brought inspiration, solace, and courage to those who have listened. The quotes and prayers collected here are both for the faithful and for those who have been touched by and want to know more about this remarkable man. His words on love, family, truth, freedom, human relationships, the power of God, and the importance of hope and prayer explore what it means to be alive and what we are doing here on Earth, and offer answers to some of life's hardest questions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #175535 in Books
• Published on: 2002-08-06
• Released on: 2002-08-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

From the Inside Flap
Spiritual father of millions, globally influential leader: Pope John Paul II's words have brought inspiration, solace, and courage to those who have listened. The quotes and prayers collected here are both for the faithful and for those who have been touched by and want to know more about this remarkable man. His words on love, family, truth, freedom, human relationships, the power of God, and the importance of hope and prayer explore what it means to be alive and what we are doing here on Earth, and offer answers to some of life's hardest questions.

Customer Reviews

Wise & Inspiring
The one I read had a different cover from this book but perhaps, it’s of a different edition/version of this book. But I took a look inside (amazon.com and the book) and found the contents to be the same, so I hope this little review will help you in a way. ^^

First of all, this is a compilation book. The book compiles carefully selected words (some of which are almost like quotes) and prayers of His Holiness Pope John Paul II from different sources, and they are categorized into different sections like Prayer, Salvation, The Sacraments, and so forth, for easy reference. His talks about love, family, truth & freedom, God & the Holy Spirits & Mother Mary, hope and prayer are very inspirational and encouraging, and there’s also a short introduction about the background of the Pope.

In all, this is a really nice book to add to your Christian collection, especially if you’re one of the many who have been touched, in one way or another, by the Pope.

The title is somewhat "misleading". An excellent book...
I enjoyed reading this book (as much as I do other writings--not all yet, or ever--by this wonderful Pope of ours, a first-rate thinker with a deeply charitable heart).

For good measure, I do quarrel a bit with the title. You see, this isn't a book that the Pope wrote and published as such; rather, it is a compilation of his words from other sources. Therefore, in fairness to the reader as well as to the pontiff, I think the title should be "...In His (not My) Own Words", indicating that this is a compiled work, done by the goodwill of someone else (who is Anthony F. Chiffolo).

An excellent book, nonetheless.

Blessed words
This book is a sort of `quotable quotes' from Pope John Paul II, the third-longest-serving pope in history. It is compiled as a labour of love by Anthony F. Chiffolo, drawn from many different sources, as diverse as daily audience statements to encyclicals, prayers to formal speeches. In these words, the Pope addresses matters internal and external to the church, ranging as broadly as did his 26-year papacy.

Many of the statements are theological in nature, but this is not a systematic theology. However, it is no mere `collected sayings' either, for by being compiled in a topically-arranged format, one can get a greater sense of the mind and heart of the pope on individual topics. Some of the topics are more spiritual and theological: God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (individually reflected upon as well as in their Trinitarian unity); Soteriology (salvation); Ecclesiology (Sacrament, Church, Priesthood, etc.); as well as a section on the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom the Pope gives special adoration. Some of the topics are very practical: Marriage and the Family; Progress and the Modern World; the Christian Life.

`Christ offers you his friendship. He gave his life so that those who wish to answer his call can indeed become his friends.'

The Pope tried his best to be a spiritual leader for all people, and had a special affection and affinity for the young people. The above quotation comes from a message to the young people of Cuba in 1998; there was a certain rock-star quality about the pope that has been widely commented upon, and it is this work with the youth of the world that will insure his name and influence being felt for generations to come.

This is a wonderful collection of pieces that show only the vaguest shadow of why Pope John Paul II will be remembered, but it is an accessible and user-friendly volume in which to remind oneself of his words and presence, which continue in different ways.