Customer Reviews

Man of the Century: The Life and Times of Pope John Paul II

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I first got interested in reading Man of the Century when I heard a National Public Radio interview featuring the author and Fr. Richard McBrien. The question arose about who has teaching authority in the Church. Kwitny cited Vatican II documents which affirm that supreme jurisdiction regarding faith and morals belongs to the pope. Rather than offer an opposing text, McBrien appealed to authority--his own. "I have been teaching theology for thirty-five years..." He went on to characterize Kwitny's statement as "fundamentalism." Of course, it would not have done Kwitny any good to make a further appeal to the actual texts since that is exactly what you expect fundamentalists to do. (They can't stand ambiguity so they look for security in black and white answers--in case you haven't heard.)

Later in the NPR interview Ray Suarez asked about the upcoming papal trip to Cuba. Kwitny attempted to place it in context of the pope's position vis-a-vis both communism and capitalism. McBrien said he would be looking at something else: what it showed about the state of the pontiff's health. Kwitny pointed out the Holy Father had just finished a grueling visit to France for World Youth Day and had another taxing trip scheduled for Brasil in the fall.

These exchanges made me think that Kwitny might have a good ability to "set the record straight." I was not disappointed. For example on the question of whether pope is going against Vatican II, he makes it clear he is not. He describes his involvement in the council as a young bishop and the consistency of his teaching with it. It is sometimes said the Holy Father has backed away from the Vatican II teaching on "collegiality." Kwitny shows in effect there was no particular teaching to back away from--if it is understood as a kind of primus inter pares (first among equals) sharing of authority. But collegiality in the sense of talking to a broad range of people before making a decision was something he practiced as bishop of Krakow. And as pope he was willing to take counsel and turn from his first impulse--for example, on the question of recognizing Israel.

On a myriad of other questions this is a book which can help to set the record straight: the pope's relationship to "Liberation Theology," his supposed bias against women, his disciplining of theological dissenters, etc. The real story is both more complex and more fascinating than the standard assumptions. One little example: the pope's remark about "husbands not lusting even after their own wives" is put into context and shown to have a meaning well beyond the jokes. A bigger example: what the actual procedure was in calling Fr. Hans Kung (and other dissenting theologians) to some accountability. And a question of justice relating not to John Paul II, but his predecessor. David Yallop wrote a book called In God's Name arguing that Pope John Paul I had been assassinated and accusing six people of having the motive and means to have done it. The book was a sensational best seller. Kwitny exposes some of its shabby research, citing a much more reliable account Thief in the Night by John Cornwell.

But the biggest question on which the author hopes to set matters straight is the pope's responsibility for the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. He rather effectively demolishes the view there was a conspiracy between the Vatican and the Reagan administration which brought totalitarianism down. Instead he advances the position that beginning in the late forties, Fr. Karol Wojtyla was laying the intellectual groundwork for its eventual fall. It was then he began inspiring young Polish leaders with a view of the supreme dignity of each human person. When he became bishop in 1958, he played key role in organizing an effective national church. Twenty years later, at the age of 58, he became pope. Kwitny argues that he steered a policy between the Ostpolitik of Pope Paul VI and rigidity of President Reagan. Moreover it was John Paul II who carried the day. The bulk of the book is dedicated to showing that his approach worked. The downfall of communism was not brought about by military or even ultimately economic considerations--but because of ideas and spirituality. The thesis makes considerable sense to me, but then I am convinced that what finally concerns man is not economics, but meaning.

Kwitny gives tantalizing glimpses into the pope's own spirituality. On one level it is highly intellectual--and he seems to have an almost super-human personal discipline. But on another level his religiosity seems embarassingly external. As a boy he would kneel before statues to pray. As an adult he sometimes prostrated himself in a chapel. He was attracted to the controversial mystic, Padre Pio. While he was studying in Rome, he went to San Giovanni Rotondo and spent hours waiting in line to go to confession to him--and was evidently told "you will attain the highest position in the church." He thought the prophecy was fulfilled when he was made cardinal of Krakow. He not only sought out Padre Pio for confession, but for a miraculous healing. When a doctor friend of his fell sick with a terminal illness, bishop Wojtyla sent a letter to Padre Pio asking for his prayers. She recovered and attributes her healing to the prayers of the mystic.

What impressed me most in Man of the Century was his pastoral zeal. His indefatigability as pope is well known, but the level of his commitment shined through most clearly in his early assignments--one to a small country parish, the other to the university. Neither were ones he sought or felt himself particularly suited for, but he threw himself into them with an incredible devotion. I have to say I was simply amazed by what Kwitny recounts of his relationship as a priest to university students. The intimacy they acheived through Masses, confessions, outings, discussions was marvelous. And during it all, the young priest was thinking and putting into writing a philosphy and spirituality which would reshape his country and the eventually the entire world.

Man of the Century is worth reading. It is not the definitive work on Pope John Paul II (I am personally waiting for George Weigel's promised biography). And by way of contrast he makes some strong criticisms of Pope Pius XI and Pius XII. Some of them seem undeserved. And hindsight is always 20/20. (We can all imagine how we would have responded to Nazism if we lived back in the 30's, but we are less sure exactly how to respond for example to abortion in our own day.) Nor does Pope John Paul II escape criticism. I am fully prepared to accept that he has his blind spots and has made his blunders--for example in some financial matters. Evangelical poverty seemed to have come almost "naturally" to him, but along with it a casualness about financial matters in general. Still this was another area where cirmcunstances forced the pope to learn and he did so rather quickly.

Of particular interest to Catholics from Seattle are the pages Kwitney devotes to the "Hunthausen affair." Once again the overall context the author provides can help set the record straight. My own sense is that we are not quite ready for that. The investigation was taken as a personal attack, especially by us priests, and we reacted with predictable defensiveness. The emotions are probably still to raw to take a more serious look at what was involved. Nevertheless, for those willing to do so Man of the Century can help. It brings matters together in a way I have not yet seen. Hardly a definitive treatment, it does however state the issues succintly and separate out what does not really pertain.

This is scarcely a book for those who, like the priest referred to initially, have pre-judged the present pope. "Conservatives" may like it even less than "liberals" but it will tend to help set the record straight.

This book, which uses the subject's life as a framework for reviewing events and political philosophies leading up to the millenium, has much to recommend it to the general reader..... One need not be intimidated by its size and scope; it's extremely readable and consistently fascinating. As a non-Catholic, I was surprised to learn how very complex and interesting this man Wojtyla is, and, like the movie "Titanic", the inside story of Poland's liberation is exciting, even though one pretty much already knows how it's going to turn out!.... I was also intrigued by the material in the book detailing the origins of the Pope's unpopular views on women and sex, and by the author's discussion of methods used by John Paul II in his struggle against Soviet tyranny as contrasted to those employed by our own government..... While I don't know whether I believe Kwitny's conclusions about the irresistible force of high moral courage -- will the Pope's methods work for the Dalai Lama against the Red Chinese without Star Wars waiting in the wings?? -- I certainly want to believe them, and the evidence marshalled in Man of the Century is both convincing and inspiring.

Pope John Paul caught the world's attention with his work to end communism in Central Europe. I am not a Catholic, but I have the utmost regard for what this man has accomplished. The title of this book gives away the author's regard for him also. The Americans give credit for the fall of communism to former Presidents Reagan and Gorbachev, especially in the video series 'Biography of the Millennium' done by A&E, but without the Pope's knowledge of the Central Europeans it would have just been a dream of theirs. I read this book with a great deal of relief that it had been published during the Pope's lifetime. He would probably regard the historical oversight of his work with less frustration than many of his supporters.

Unlike previous books on the life of the current Pope, the author takes a refreshingly objective and scholarly, yet most readable look at one of the most influential of all pontiffs. Focusing not just on Vatican press releases, the author develops a convincing portrait of this most holy, yet wholly human leader of the largest and oldest Christian denomination. Steve Szmutko, Hamilton, NJ END

The book itself is wonderful. It is more political than religious, especially the years under the Communist regime. The argument is made that the US government did nothing to encourage or support the resistance to communism, with all direct aid being made by private citizens and private organizations within the US. But there was disappointment with the order process. The book was ordered for a new copy but a used copy was received from a third party contracted to Amazon. Since the book was sent as a gift, it was embarrassing. It would have been better to be informed that only used copies were available for this older book.

This is, for anybody Catholic or non-Catholic who is interested in the Pope, a good read. But the book is flawed by a full jar of political intrigue. I would buy it, but for the story of the man, not the story of the CIA files on him.

Kwitny has written an absorbing biography that is neither hyperventilatingly in awe nor blindly critical of Karol Wojty³a and his pontificate. It's a very human picture we get of an impressive man who has his own blindness (though "shortsightedness" would be a better description).

One thing that stands out is Wojty³a's desire for peace that sometimes leads to interesting contradictions. For example, his interfaith meetings and his desire to heal both the Orthodox/Catholic and the Anglican/Catholic rifts meet real trouble when people realize the Catholic church's stated goal is to convert everyone to Catholicism - "And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation" (Mark 16.15).

It also becomes clear that Wojty³a is an intellectual and sometimes has problems getting his ideas across so that simpletons (read: Reagan and Bush) can understand what he's driving at (i.e., that he's only advocating some portions of capitalism and not the brutal, unchecked Republican capitalism).

Lastly, as the book progresses it becomes increasingly obvious that Wojty³a is one of the rare types that, instead of becoming more and more liberal and tolerant as he grows older, becomes more and more stodgy and conservative.

I appreciated the will researched and informative narrative about the pope, but found the book to be overly long and dry. I am Catholic, and knew very little about our pope. Now I know much more. However, I have 4 problems with the book. First of all, it seems that, although Mr. Kwitncy wrote 678 pages on the pope, John Paul II is a mystery to him. He says so many times in his book, and it comes across. I now know many facts about the pope. I know about events that he influenced, I know about his philosophical beliefs, and I know about his upbringing, but I do not know about the person. His development of the pope's character leaves you hungry for more. It's like a talking to person for hours at a party who talks about issues, etc. but never reveals a side of them that gives you the feeling you have connected with them. Secondly, if he could reduce his Polish abd other characters down to about 100 it would help. He mentions so many long, confusing names that you never get to know anyone. Thirdly, he can tells us what the pope said without quoting long and difficult to read paragraphs ad nauseum of the pope's exact words. Lastly, although this was obviously well researched, Mr. Kwitny didn't have to make such an issue of it. It's like he is always trying to defend himself in case someone should challenge his statements. The 50 pages of footnotes supporting his statements attests to his preocupation with this. The reader doesn't really care. He could just say it. He doesn't have to prove it. We will take his word for it, or understand that it is just his opinion. I think this would be a good text book for a class on the pope, but it is not well suited for the average reader. Steve McMorrow