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Setting the Stage: Early Plays of St. John Paul II
Two gems of literary history - long out of print for English readers - are available once again! The early rare plays of Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla) include "Our God's Brother" and "Radiation of Fatherhood."
This long-awaited edition is the result of contracts with both the Vatican and the estate of the original translator approved by St. John Paul II himself for the English version.
Anyone striving to understand the origins of St. John Paul II’s ideas about the human person should read these two plays. They present the beauty of the creation of God, “made in His image,” made to become more through human action as we journey towards that destiny we’re all created for. Book includes commentary by Dr. Kenneth Schmitz which gives context for these plays within the wider framework of St. John Paul II’s entire Personalistic philosophy.
If you are of the JP2 generation, you will once again remember the smile and voice of our formative Vicar of Christ. If you are not, meet him here in his most raw, youthful, and yet piercing wisdom.
This long-awaited edition is the result of contracts with both the Vatican and the estate of the original translator approved by St. John Paul II himself for the English version.
Anyone striving to understand the origins of St. John Paul II’s ideas about the human person should read these two plays. They present the beauty of the creation of God, “made in His image,” made to become more through human action as we journey towards that destiny we’re all created for. Book includes commentary by Dr. Kenneth Schmitz which gives context for these plays within the wider framework of St. John Paul II’s entire Personalistic philosophy.
If you are of the JP2 generation, you will once again remember the smile and voice of our formative Vicar of Christ. If you are not, meet him here in his most raw, youthful, and yet piercing wisdom.
210 pages, Paperback
Published April 3, 2023
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About the author
Pope John Paul II
1,045 books639 followersSaint Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus II), born Karol Józef Wojtyła was elected Pope at the Conclave of 16 October 1978, and he took the name of John Paul II. On 22 October, the Lord's Day, he solemnly inaugurated his Petrine ministry as the 263rd successor to the Apostle. His pontificate, one of the longest in the history of the Church, lasted nearly 27 years.
Driven by his pastoral solicitude for all Churches and by a sense of openness and charity to the entire human race, John Paul II exercised the Petrine ministry with a tireless missionary spirit, dedicating it all his energy. He made 104 pastoral visits outside Italy and 146 within Italy. As bishop of Rome he visited 317 of the city's 333 parishes.
He had more meetings than any of his predecessors with the People of God and the leaders of Nations. More than 17,600,000 pilgrims participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1160), not counting other special audiences and religious ceremonies [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone], and the millions of faithful he met during pastoral visits in Italy and throughout the world. We must also remember the numerous government personalities he encountered during 38 official visits, 738 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State, and 246 audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers.
His love for young people brought him to establish the World Youth Days. The 19 WYDs celebrated during his pontificate brought together millions of young people from all over the world. At the same time his care for the family was expressed in the World Meetings of Families, which he initiated in 1994. John Paul II successfully encouraged dialogue with the Jews and with the representatives of other religions, whom he several times invited to prayer meetings for peace, especially in Assisi.
Under his guidance the Church prepared herself for the third millennium and celebrated the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 in accordance with the instructions given in the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio adveniente. The Church then faced the new epoch, receiving his instructions in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte, in which he indicated to the faithful their future path.
With the Year of the Redemption, the Marian Year and the Year of the Eucharist, he promoted the spiritual renewal of the Church. He gave an extraordinary impetus to Canonizations and Beatifications, focusing on countless examples of holiness as an incentive for the people of our time. He celebrated 147 beatification ceremonies during which he proclaimed 1,338 Blesseds; and 51 canonizations for a total of 482 saints. He made Thérèse of the Child Jesus a Doctor of the Church.
He considerably expanded the College of Cardinals, creating 231 Cardinals (plus one in pectore) in 9 consistories. He also called six full meetings of the College of Cardinals. His most important Documents include 14 Encyclicals, 15 Apostolic Exhortations, 11 Apostolic Constitutions, 45 Apostolic Letters. He promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the light of Tradition as authoritatively interpreted by the Second Vatican Council. He also reformed the Eastern and Western Codes of Canon Law, created new Institutions and reorganized the Roman Curia.
In the light of Christ risen from the dead, on 2 April 2005 at 9.37 p.m., while Saturday was drawing to a close and the Lord's Day was already beginning, the Octave of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, the Church's beloved Pastor, John Paul II, departed this world for the Father. On April 1, 2011, he was raised to the glory of the altars and on April 27, 2014 canonized.
Driven by his pastoral solicitude for all Churches and by a sense of openness and charity to the entire human race, John Paul II exercised the Petrine ministry with a tireless missionary spirit, dedicating it all his energy. He made 104 pastoral visits outside Italy and 146 within Italy. As bishop of Rome he visited 317 of the city's 333 parishes.
He had more meetings than any of his predecessors with the People of God and the leaders of Nations. More than 17,600,000 pilgrims participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1160), not counting other special audiences and religious ceremonies [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone], and the millions of faithful he met during pastoral visits in Italy and throughout the world. We must also remember the numerous government personalities he encountered during 38 official visits, 738 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State, and 246 audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers.
His love for young people brought him to establish the World Youth Days. The 19 WYDs celebrated during his pontificate brought together millions of young people from all over the world. At the same time his care for the family was expressed in the World Meetings of Families, which he initiated in 1994. John Paul II successfully encouraged dialogue with the Jews and with the representatives of other religions, whom he several times invited to prayer meetings for peace, especially in Assisi.
Under his guidance the Church prepared herself for the third millennium and celebrated the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 in accordance with the instructions given in the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio adveniente. The Church then faced the new epoch, receiving his instructions in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte, in which he indicated to the faithful their future path.
With the Year of the Redemption, the Marian Year and the Year of the Eucharist, he promoted the spiritual renewal of the Church. He gave an extraordinary impetus to Canonizations and Beatifications, focusing on countless examples of holiness as an incentive for the people of our time. He celebrated 147 beatification ceremonies during which he proclaimed 1,338 Blesseds; and 51 canonizations for a total of 482 saints. He made Thérèse of the Child Jesus a Doctor of the Church.
He considerably expanded the College of Cardinals, creating 231 Cardinals (plus one in pectore) in 9 consistories. He also called six full meetings of the College of Cardinals. His most important Documents include 14 Encyclicals, 15 Apostolic Exhortations, 11 Apostolic Constitutions, 45 Apostolic Letters. He promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the light of Tradition as authoritatively interpreted by the Second Vatican Council. He also reformed the Eastern and Western Codes of Canon Law, created new Institutions and reorganized the Roman Curia.
In the light of Christ risen from the dead, on 2 April 2005 at 9.37 p.m., while Saturday was drawing to a close and the Lord's Day was already beginning, the Octave of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, the Church's beloved Pastor, John Paul II, departed this world for the Father. On April 1, 2011, he was raised to the glory of the altars and on April 27, 2014 canonized.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 3, 2025
“And everything else will then turn out to be unimportant and inessential except this: father, child, and love.
And then, looking at the simplest things, we will all say, Could we not have learned this long ago? Has this not always been embedded in everything that is?”
I wish I could give so much more than 5 stars to this absolute masterpiece. Did you think you couldn’t have more love and respect for St. John Paul II? Think again. This collection of two of his early plays, “Our God’s Brother” and “Radiation of Fatherhood” show yet again how deep of an understanding this wonderful saint held of the human experience across the entirety of its spectrum. Did you love “The Jeweler’s Shop”? Well my friend, you better strap yourself in for the ride of a lifetime through all of the stages of human existence and a deep contemplation of that original unity experienced in the garden and the tainted view and perspective of fallen humanity- through none other than the lens of our fallen father, Adam, who contemplates his actions as it now effects humanity in its entirety.
In the words of one of his own characters I share the sentiment that both of these great works put into view that “vision” of all that it and all that we are searching for:
“It’s strange: something that wrecks my life but at the same time integrates it.”
And then, looking at the simplest things, we will all say, Could we not have learned this long ago? Has this not always been embedded in everything that is?”
I wish I could give so much more than 5 stars to this absolute masterpiece. Did you think you couldn’t have more love and respect for St. John Paul II? Think again. This collection of two of his early plays, “Our God’s Brother” and “Radiation of Fatherhood” show yet again how deep of an understanding this wonderful saint held of the human experience across the entirety of its spectrum. Did you love “The Jeweler’s Shop”? Well my friend, you better strap yourself in for the ride of a lifetime through all of the stages of human existence and a deep contemplation of that original unity experienced in the garden and the tainted view and perspective of fallen humanity- through none other than the lens of our fallen father, Adam, who contemplates his actions as it now effects humanity in its entirety.
In the words of one of his own characters I share the sentiment that both of these great works put into view that “vision” of all that it and all that we are searching for:
“It’s strange: something that wrecks my life but at the same time integrates it.”
Displaying 1 of 1 review