Pope John Paul II redefined the role of the papacy as an active, living presence in the lives of the diverse faithful worldwide. He accomplished this in part through the remarkable breadth of his travels, visiting every continent around the globe. In the course of an unprecedented 85 trips—with stops to lands rich and poor, at peace and strife-torn—he shared his universal message of joy, hope, and comfort. This powerful collection of over 175 of his most compelling messages is presented in chronological order around the three themes that mark the progression of his papacy: "Evangelization and Global Politics," "Solidarity and Unity," and "New Evangelization: Toward the Millennium and Beyond." Introductory notes clarifying the time and context for each selection further enhance this inspiring volume.

A fascinating and enlightening look at the world’s oldest and most mysterious institution, written by an American journalist with unparalleled knowledge about the Vatican's past and present. The sexual abuse scandals that shook American and British Catholicism in 2002 brought to light a long-standing cultural gap between the English-speaking Catholic world and the Vatican. In Rome, the crisis was often seen as an attack on the Church mounted by money-hungry lawyers, a hostile press, and liberal activists who used it as a way to turn attention on such concerns as celibacy, women’s ordination, and lay empowerment. When the Vatican struck down the U.S. bishops’ draft for handling allegations of sexual abuse, many saw it as an attempt to curb an independent American Catholic church. Yet, as time passed, it became clear that the Vatican’s well-founded concerns about due process were shared by most liberal U.S. bishops and canon lawyers. ALL THE POPE’S MEN is a lucid, in-depth guide to the sometimes puzzling, often incomprehensible inner workings of the Vatican. It reveals how decisions are made, how papal bureaucrats think, and how careers in the Roman Curia are shaped. It debunks the myths that have fed the distrust and suspicions many English-speaking Catholics harbor about the way the Vatican conducts its business, explains who really wields the power, and offers entertaining profiles of the personalities, historical and present-day, who have wielded that power for good and for bad. A thoughtful analysis of the recent sexual abuse crisis sheds light on how the Vatican perceives the Church in the United States. Balanced, lively, and filled with Vatican history and lore, ALL THE POPE’S MEN provides the general reader with an authoritative picture of the highly charged relationship between the Vatican and the richest, most influential national Catholic church in the world today.

A Pope for All Seasons: Testimonies Inspired by Saint John Paul II contains reminiscences by people who admired this saintly man as student, actor, professor, mentor, author, priest, pope, political leader, uncle, and friend. Among the nearly 50 men and women who share their intimate thoughts on the Polish pontiff are internationally recognized figures such as: Maestro Placido Domingo His Holiness the Dalai Lama Michael Reagan Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller Newt Gingrich George Weigel Edwin Meese III Peter Robinson Msgr. Slawomir Oder Ryszard Legutko Each contributor offers insights into the pontificate, life, teachings, thoughts, and lessons of one of the most visible persons in recent history. This book was designed to help present and future generations build on the legacy of Saint John Paul II. It encourages us to study his life and activities on multiple levels-philosophy, literature, theatre, theology, politics, diplomacy, and more-so that he might inspire and guide our actions in the world.

This Supplement 2009 not only provides new updates and articles on general Catholic topics, but also focuses on the theme: the Church and Science, to ensure that Catholic contributions and perspectives related to this field are thoroughly covered. (Adapted from Foreword, p. XI).