Rise, Let Us be on Our Way [Hardcover]

That said, I found this to be a very well written and interesting little book. John Paul II wrote this book for the most part as a book of instruction for his Bishops. Within it's pages he lays out in a very clear way what he thinks the duties of a Bishop are and he does this by telling the story of his years as a Bishop in Poland. The Pope makes it very clear that while the first priority of a Bishop is to preach the Gospel, he must also be a shepherd to his flock. Again and again His Holiness hammers on this point and makes it very clear that he expects his Bishops to get out of their office and be among the people. He is very proud of the fact that even with his Pontifical duties he has visited almost every Parish under his official care as Bishop of Rome.

This book would never have been published in this manner however if it were only useful to Bishops and there is indeed much information here for everyone else. Many people of all faiths are fascinated by the Pope's struggle with the Communist authorities in Poland and many of the stories in this book deal with that subject. There are also a fair number of accounts of the Nazi occupation and the brave efforts of the Polish people to rid themselves of this curse. There is little doubt that the writings of this Pope will be invaluable to future historians as they delve into 20th century Europe. These stories of a courageous people who risked so much in the pursuit of freedom, not only to worship but also the freedom to live their lives in a free and open society are truly inspiring.

Finally, this book although written for the Bishops is not written in a way that will put off the average reader. With the exception of a few references to Church documents that bear their titles in Latin there is little here that will be out of reach to almost any reader. Catholics will of course find this book to be more interesting than will other faiths but people of almost any religious inclination will be able to find inspiration here. This book may be small but it packs a huge punch.

My favourite part of the book is the first section; being someone who has spent the greater part of his life in one form or another of discernment of vocation, it is fascinating to see what vocational aspects are most relavent to a pope. From both the practical aspect of knowing this particular pope, as well as the general aspect of learning more about what his vision of what a bishop and pope should be, John Paul II has provided an interesting insight into why he did the things he did.

Vocation is a mystery, and authority from God is also a mystery. It might not seem so from outside, but it is a heavy burden with which to be entrusted. 'Do you know what you have done?' This is a question that might be asked of the cardinals by a new pope; this is a question we might ask ourselves. However, John Paul II recasts it in asking if we know what God has done for us, in the midst of all the world's troubles and joys.

The gospel of John records, 'You did not choose me, but I chose you.' Pope John Paul II, far from being a perfect person, was nonetheless a good and faithful servant to his vision of what he was chosen to be, and worked to bear the fruit of his ministry that will last. This book explains that this was important to him, and will stand as a testimony of sorts to what he expects the leaders of the church to be and to do.

Leaders of the church are expected to carry a lot of burdens - they must be theologians, pastors, shepherds, colleagues, faithful witnesses and more (and this is before they must be administrators and managers, as well as general workers in the vineyard). There are chapters devoted to each of these roles, cast in caring, theological and spiritual tones.

The audience for this particular work is rather narrow if taken as a direct charge (few of us will become Roman Catholic bishops, after all, and even fewer will become popes). However, this book does give insight into the leadership principles that guided Pope John Paul II in his own words and thoughts, and as such, is an interesting guide as we enter a new era with a new pope.