An Invitation to Joy Book

An Invitation to Joy is a papal picture book. It features splendid full-colour photos of Pope John Paul II spanning the whole range of his 22-year reign. The Polish Pope has been one of the outstanding figures of the 20th century and this sumptuous book captures the essence of the man by mixing selections from his writings and speeches with an array of formal and candid photographs. This is not a book for those who look for critical analysis of either the papacy or John Paul II. Designed as a loving portrait of a great man, the photo essay is divided into four main sections which are introduced by Time magazine's Rome correspondent Greg Burke. The first three sections: "The Human Family", "The People of God", and "The Dignity of the Human Person" set the photographs of the Pope and selections from his writings in a wider theological and social context. The fourth section, "A Lifetime of Devotion", chronicles Pope John Paul's life in pictures and text. An Invitation to Joy is preaching to the converted, but that's the audience for most sermons, and as sermons go, this is more interesting than most. As they look to the end of this Pope's reign, Catholics will be encouraged by this well presented memorial to both the majesty of the papacy and the gentle humanity of the man himself. --DwightLongeneckerRead More