AN INVITATION TO HOPE

by Pope John XXIII ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 10, 1967

In 1965, Journal of a Soul revealed a man of God to the whole world he considered his family. Now a book in the Credo series brings the reader once again into the benign presence of John, whose translucent, incandescent goodness is apparent in every word he utters. He presents himself as dedicated to ""obedience and peace,"" a man ""like any other man who lives on this blessed earth,"" a peculiarly fortunate man in circumstance and temperament, who sees himself as ""a shepherd of souls."" ""Love is all...love is the key"" in the life of men and nations. John is aware of the striving for a better life on the part of all mankind, alert to the responsibilities of governments in relation to that striving and need. Always he relates the life of man to God (""Strive therefore for the kingdom of God and His justice; and all these things shall be added unto you""...""The earth and all it contains belong to God""). It is in his reflections at eighty, when he already suspected that God had ""a great suffering, affliction of body or spirit"" in store for him, that he dispenses a great deal of wisdom, particularly for the Catholic. However Pope John speaks to all men, Gentle, Jew, Christian, Hindu, Moslem alike. This book, while not a major work, bears the man's mark on every page: Ruth Nanda Anshen's introduction, while setting what follows well enough, is by comparison overblown and overextended.

Pub Date: Feb. 10, 1967

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1967

Categories: NONFICTION