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A Life with Karol: My Forty-Year Friendship with the Man Who Became Pope

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There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that John Paul II was the greatest man of my lifetime. I say this, by the way, as a non-Roman Catholic. No other world leader touched so many people or exerted such moral influence on the contours of the late 20th century. I didn't always agree with him--I thought his negative views of Latin American liberation theology too harsh, for example--but I never for a moment doubted either his integrity or his deep, deep spirituality. I look forward to the day when he's canonized.

Stanislaw Cardinal Dziwisz's A Life with Karol is a loving portrait of his forty years as John Paul's secretary. Dziwisz was in a perfect position to be John Paul's chronicler: an ever-present but unobstrusive spectator of the daily activities, private spiritual life, and public persona of first Karol Wojtyla, bishop, archbishop, and cardinal, and then John Paul II, Pope.

Dziwisz's memoir sheds interesting light on Wojtyla's embrace of Gandhian tactics of resistance to the Polish communist authorities--a fidelity to nonviolence that led him to speak out strongly against warfare in the closing years of his pontificate; Wojtyla's great reservations about accepting the College of Cardinals' election to the papacy; his deeply-engrained conciliar temperament, a spirit of collaboration and cooperation that endeared him to both clergy and laity alike; his firm resolve to continue the work of Vatican II; his emphasis on the "new evangelization," which sought to reinvigorate a West increasingly indifferent to religion, and the ardent Christian humanism that became its centerpiece; and his efforts toward interfaith dialogue. Along the way, Dziwisz also provides a look at the daily routine of the pontiff, his devotion to prayer and worship, funny accounts of sneaking the pope out of the Vatican so that he could go skiing, and a somber description of John Paul's final illness and suffering.

John Paul's total devotion to God--his personal motto was "totus tuus"--is the key to appreciating both life, theology, and accomplishments. Deeply grounded in scripture, an ardent defender of the Church's best moral and spiritual traditions but a courageous progressive when it came to human rights, labor and capitalism, and war and nonviolence, John Paul ultimately grounded everything he did in his love of God and his conviction that Christ is manifest in human beings. If there's a single overriding impression given in Dziwisz's memoir, it's that his entire life, lived in radical openness to God, was also radically open to his fellow humans.

Many biographies have been written about Pope John Paul II, and these have been both good and thorough (e.g. Witness to Hope by Weigel, His Holiness by Bernstein & Politi). Thus, the main reason for buying this book written by his personal secretary, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwsz, has to be the personal, behind-the-scenes stories he can tell of the human being who happened to be Pope John Paul II. As much is promised by the title of the book: A Life with Karol: My Forty-Year Friendship with the Man Who Became Pope.

The book does not deliver on its promise, however. By my count, there were maybe four instances where we get an eyewitness view from the cardinal: when he was called to be secretary, when they evaded security to go skiing soon after John Paul became pope, the attempted assassination, and the pope's last moments.

Other than those, the book seems to be written entirely in support of the cause for the sainthood of the pope. This is unfortunate, as the pope is turned from human being into something like a statue. For instance, the cardinal writes that "Once... I did see him get really angry," and as he tells the story, he writes that the pope "replied with something like ire in his voice." The pope is apparently incapable of real anger, only of something like ire. Even Jesus was capable of real anger!

In places, Cardinal Dziwisz speaks like an omniscient narrator, able to get into the thoughts of people, and making realizations on their behalf. Quite a few times, it made me stop and ask: how did he know that?

Perhaps it is to be expected, that having been so close to a great man, that there is that simultaneous desire to share and to not share, to tell the world all he knows but also to keep for oneself the best tidbits, and to make sure that nothing stands in the sainthood. Perhaps in the future, when sainthood is settled and years has passed, he will write another book and we will learn more about the human being that is Karol Wojtyla. But for now, to read about John Paul, go for the other biographies.

This book is one more fine tome praising the life and work of Karol Wojtyla, known to the whole world as John Paul II. It is a pleasant and defensive biography of the pope told by his friend of many years. Also, it stands as a nice promotion piece for his possible beatification or canonization.

But, the book is a huge disappointment in terms of revealing anything really personal about the man who elevated so many as Blessed or Saint for the homage of the universal church. The icon is preserved, but the real man called by the Spirit to be a saint and prophet among us remains hidden.

Did Karol Wojtyla: smoke, enjoy mystery or science fiction writing, watch favorite t.v. programs, have favorite films, explore the myriad halls and hidden doors within the Vatican, ever don a disguise and roam the streets of Rome, love chocolates, doff his cassock in favor of mufti, sing in the shower, have pets, shudder at the thought of a forthcoming visitor, get sick from a meal overseas, continue to swim in the famous papal pool, stop and chat with the Swiss Guards or play cards or table games with household workers, have hobbies, prepare a meal himself, and so forth?

So many years we watched him, admired him, were upliftred by him in good times and times of sorrow and sickness, and read his works. When will we know this man who loved to tease, had a playful side, and became a saint?
That is the book which is awaited. I wish Cardinal Dziwisz had shared more of this kind of thing, the insight of a friend.

THOMAS PATRICK HULL,
CHICAGO

This book is an intimate look at Pope John Paul 11 through the eyes of his close friend Cardinal Dziwisz.
The author was a personal friend of the Pope for about 40 years and he tells little interesting facts about the Pope that only a friend would know. The most interesting and touching part for me was the time the Pope was dying and the things he said and did before he died. Only someone who was at his dying bedside would know and share with us and this is done in this deep and loving book.The Pope's love of God and the church and the people of the world is so evident.
When you finish the book you will have a lot to quietly ponder about this man who we called Pope John Paul 11.

If you were hoping this book would give you a very personal look about Karol Wojtyla the man, you will be very disappointed. Stanislaw Dziwisz, Wojtyla's personal secretary for 40 years, discusses only John Paul II the pope.

Furthermore, only slightly more than half of this volume is in Dziwisz's own voice. The other half is written by the "narrator" - Gian Franco Svidercoschi - in "conversation" with Dziwisz. Svidercoschi doesn't bother to introduce himself in the book, but he worked on the 2005 TV movie, "Karol: A Man Who Became Pope," and a book that came out in 2007 entitled "Stories of Karol: The Unknown Life of John Paul II." Svidercoschi is billed as a "well-known Vatican observer" and comes from a Polish family.

I was privileged to meet Cardinal Dziwisz and hear him speak when he did a book-signing June 24, 2008 at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. At that time he confessed he was unhappy with the "overly familiar" and misleading title "A Life with Karol" and had preferred his own title of "Witness," which probably would have been more appropriate. But his editors, Dziwisz said, insisted their title would sell more books.

Disappointments notwithstanding, this book is worth adding to your collection. Dziwisz gives a beautiful, personal accounting of Wojtyla's last hours on earth. And he does a great job of explaining John Paul II's motivations for the unique conduct of his papacy and his responses to the criticisms he received. I found it riveting to the end.

This book is a very interesting and intimate look at Pope John Paul II's life as a priest, bishop, archbishop and Pope, by an insider who was with him throughout that time. One caveat: This book assumes the reader is already familiar with the life and accomplishments of Pope John Paul II and, in order to more fully appreciate the new insights presented in this book, it would be helpful to have read a complete biography. I recommend George Wiegel's biography "Witness to Hope."

This is a beautiful tribute to Pope John Paul II aka Karol Wojtyla. The book was written by Staislaw Dziwisz, his secretary who worked for the Pope for 40 years. The first part of the book covers the earlier years of the Pope's life, growing up and becoming a priest in Poland. As a youth and young man, his best friend was a Jewish boy who remained his friend for his entire life. In fact, he was so close to his friend's family that the bond lasted even after he became Pope.

Most of the book is about Pope John Paul's life in the Vatican and how he came to the decisions that he made as Pope. He was a strong man who enjoyed skiing and being out and about with people. When he left the Vatican, to pursue a day ski trip, he had to be very careful in order not to draw crowds and a mob scene. He would go with a small group, wear sunglasses and try to keep a low profile. That worked more than a few times, but eventually he was spotted by a child and had to be taken away very quickly.

The attempt to Kill Pope John Paul is also discussed in detail. He was shot twice. The first bullet went into his abdomen, colon and out through his intestines. It then lodged in the jeep. The second bullet hit the Pope in the elbow, hand and went on to wound two American women who were in the crowd. He suffered with pain for the rest of his life from the bullet wounds! He was hospitalized more than a few times. Mehmet Ali Agca, his would be killer, could not believe that he had not killed the Pope. His shots had been dead on! He never apologized for his awful deed.

There are so many interesting parts to this book. The Pope's chidhood and early life in occupied Poland, living under Communist rule, his rise in the Catholic Church and of course his wonderful trips as Pope. This book is well worth reading and it gave me a better understanding of Karol Wojtyla, the man!

Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz excerpts several main features of the life and ministry of Pope John Paul 11. He also provides eyewitness accounts of such things as the shooting of the Pope in 1981 and the death of this Pope in 2005.

This book centers on the travels of Pope John Paul II. Dziwisz attributed the anti-clericalism of Mexico to the fact that many Mexican political and business officials are Masons. (p. 74).

Much has been said about how Poland's Communist government had blamed Jews for Poland's problems, leading to many of them leaving Poland in 1968, and notwithstanding the fact that Gomulka's wife was Jewish. (pp. 31-32). What is often forgotten is the fact that the Communist government also frequently blamed the Church for Poland's problems; even accusing it of lack of patriotism for forgiving the Germans. (pp. 22-23).

At times, Pope John Paul II had been accused of being soft on non-Communist authoritarian governments. This is untrue, as proved, for example, by the Papal visit with Augusto Pinochet of Chile. The Pope urged this leader to return power to the civil authorities, and later met with dissident Chilean politicians. (p. 104).

After the fall of Communism, Pope John Paul II identified secularism as the main danger to Christianity and Poland. (pp. 200-205). Four years after his death, his warning is timelier than ever.

I loved this book. Cardinal Dziwisz writes a poignant and beautiful
memoir about his life in the service of Pope John Paul II. Many myths are dispelled and we learn the truth about the fall of Russia and the wall in Germany. Behind the scenes truths are revealed for the first time and if you like history this is must read!

Pope John Paul II was one of the longest living and most dedicated pontiffs of our time. This book is truly the book to read to see what it was like to be in the Pontiffs shoes. It tells of his battles with communism and with war. With the everyday struggles he went through up until his dying day. It is truly a book that will give you the full feeling of what a wonderful and gifted Pontiff John Paul 2 was. One can only hope and pray that we who remember him as pope will one day get to remember him and honor him as a The People's saint.