Pope John Paul II is not only the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, but is Head of State for the Vatican. As such, he is among the most experienced diplomats on the international science today, having given, during the 25-year span of his pontificate, over 2,000 speeches to representatives of the UN, to 172 ambassadors accredited to the Holy See, to non-governmental entities and to inter-governmental organizations. Papal Diplomacy is the first study of the Pope from the perspective of international diplomacy. Fr. Bernard J. O'Connor has surveyed all of the addresses given by the Pope and has chosen over 60 outstanding examples from the various diplomatic "tracks" (conventional diplomacy, non-governmental agencies, and inter-governmental entities). These speeches are organized around diverse themes: international collaboration, human-rights awareness, diplomatic negotiation, the inviolability of the individual person, the rights of nations, the inherent and universal "longing for freedom," and the necessity of "promoting a culture of peace." Each section is introduced to provide a sense of how the Pope treats these topics. O'Connor's general introduction explains the importance of the Holy Father's addresses to diplomats and why the text centers specifically upon the notion of the "culture of peace." In addition, an Appendix that demonstrates how these texts can be utilized in terms of conference papers, publications, religious-education projects, adult discussion groups, etc. The work will include a practical bibliography and an index.
In this period when the Pope's reign is the subject of extensive retrospection, Papal Diplomacy is the sole work to examine the Pope as a key diplomatic figure, and to lay the foundation of his certain legacy in the promotion of world peace and freedom.
