Romana

A Book by the Holy Father

On May 18, the 84th birthday of the Holy Father, there was a presentation in Rome of the first copy of John Paul II’s new book entitled: Rise, Let us be going! This new book by the Pope presents reflections on his years as Auxiliary Bishop and later Archbishop of Krakow, from 1958 to 1978. Written in Polish, it has been translated into Italian, Spanish, German, French, English and Portuguese. The book is made up of six parts which follow a basically chronological order.

In a number of passages, the Pope recalls past events or circumstances that have a parallel with later events. Especially noteworthy in those years of the Pope’s life is the trust that he put, like many other Poles, in Our Lady of Czestochowa. The book frequently emphasizes the important role played by the various pilgrimages to this Shrine in difficult moments.

Another characteristic note of the book is the emphasis on the example of holiness given by people from all walks of life (in particular, by many bishops who are his fellow protagonists in the book).