THE P RTAL
June 2014
Page 23
The Story of a Saint
Laura Magson reviews
John Paul II, Man of Prayer, The spiritual life of a saint
by Clare Anderson and Joanna Bogle
John Paul
II canonised more individuals than any other Pope and last month joined their number
as he was declared a saint himself. This book tells his fascinating life story.
It begins with an account
of Karol Josef Wojtyła’s early
years, telling of his tragic
childhood, losing his mother
and older brother by the age
of twelve, and of the influence
on his spirituality of his father,
who gave him the prayer to
the Holy Spirit, which Karol
said daily for the rest of his
life.
student days
We are taken through
his student days at the
Jagiellonian
University,
where, originally intending
to be an actor, he met Jan
Leopold Tyranowski, the man
who told him “it is not difficult
to be a saint”, inspiring him to
commit more deeply to a life
entirely consecrated to God.
Tyranowski also introduced
Karol to St John of the Cross,
on whom he wrote his first
doctoral thesis. Discerning his
priestly vocation shortly after the death of his father,
Karol joined a secret seminary, and was ordained in
1946.
or aeroplane, how he prayed
totally immersed, losing all
sense of time and oblivious
to surroundings.
We learn of John Paul II’s
relationship with Padre Pio
and of the history of the
Divine Mercy. John Paul II
instituted the feast of Mercy
on the second Sunday of
Easter, died on the vigil of
the feast in 2005, and was
canonised on Divine Mercy
Sunday 2014.
identification with
suffering
The
penultimate
chapter tells of John
Paul’s identification with
suffering. Having lost all his
immediate family before he
was ordained, the near fatal
shooting in 1981 caused
lasting damage to his health
and he suffered constant
ill-health throughout the later years of his life, but he
still kept up his refrains “Do not be afraid”, and “Totus
Tuus” (I am all yours) – his Episcopal motto further
illustrating his devotion to Our Lady.
Further insights into his background are revealed
in chapters devoted to how he developed his deep
In the final chapter, “The Eucharist”, we are told of
relationship to Mary, who he had no doubt saved his his relationship with the Mass – always the centre of
life when he was shot on 13th May 1981, the feast of our his life, the core of the bond between God and Man.
Lady of Fatima. and to his relationship with his home
country Poland, why he loved it and how it influenced an inspiring insight
him.
Annotated throughout with quotes from people who
knew him and from his own publications, the book
dialogue with other religions
concludes with prayers that John Paul II loved and
Chapters on his experiences as Pope tell of his prayers written by him, and is an inspiring insight into
dialogue with other religions – he was the first Pope the life of the complex and remarkable man.
to bring together the leaders of all the world’s main
Published by Gracewing,
faiths in one place, and of his prayer life and spiritual
ISBN 978 085244 832 8
practices – his ability to pray anywhere, even in a kayak
contents page
280 pages. £9.99