John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father

by Peggy Noonan

From New York Times bestselling author Peggy Noonan comes "a beautifully written testimony about . . . the most historically recognized pope" ( Library Journal )

With such accla imed books as When Character Was King , Peggy Noonan has become one of our most eloquent and respected commentators. Now she offers a stirring portrait of a spiritual and intellectual giant who personally confronted all of the worst tragedies of his age. Drawing on scholarship, interviews with prominent Catholics, and her own experience, Noonan traces the extraordinary life and struggles of Pope John Paul II with characteristic insight and probity-and explores how much we can learn from his leadership, diplomacy, humility, and holiness. Passionate and often deeply personal, John Paul the Great is as exceptional as the man it celebrates.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Catholic, Religion, History, Audiobook, Christian

238 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2005

About the author

Peggy Noonan is an author of seven books on politics, religion and culture, a weekly columnist for The Wall Street Journal, and was a Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan. She is considered a political conservative.

Reviews

[Julie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading for an upcoming podcast episode.

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I'm rereading this book which has inadvertently turned into Advent reading. I'd forgotten just how good it is — inspirational, informative, and, above all, a wonderful reminder of a great pope and saint. I originally read it in 2006. My original review is below.

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Why did so many love John Paul II? If you read this book you will know why.

Peggy Noonan writes with conviction, force and clarity about her own love and respect for John Paul II as our spiritual father. In so doing, she gives us the essence of this great pope's life and faith as distilled through the lens of her own growing return to her Catholic faith and love of God.

I only really paid attention to him after I converted in 2000 so my own experience with JPII was of him as the old pope who showed us how to live, love, and give through suffering. In fact, I was aware of respecting him but didn't realize my own great love until I read the false report of his death (a day before the actual event) on the Drudge Report. I mystified myself by bursting into great, body-shaking sobs that wouldn't stop. When I went into Tom's office, he was alarmed and, after hearing an explanation, he shook his head at me. "You love him," he said, "You just didn't know how much until now."

Perhaps that is why I am finding myself pulled through this book at breakneck speed. I knew the bare bones of many of John Paul's experiences as pope but this book is something like a Weigel-lite (?) biography in some ways. I am learning much about the details of his papacy even as I am brought to tears or smiles again and again by both his experiences as well as Noonan's.

I picked up this book from the library yesterday and am about halfway through. Already, I have begun to push it on others. An email here, a strong recommendation to someone there (such as to my husband who never reads "religious" books but is interested in this one).

Part of the fascination for me is Noonan's transparent honesty. She is, in a sense, every modern person who has struggled with belief, honesty, and faith itself. As she intersperses her tale with that of John Paul II, I find myself in agreement with her along the way. Her path is not exactly mine but her sentiments and struggles echo them well enough to resonate. And the resonation already is calling me to reach further in prayer...

So I was thinking about pebbles — the pebbles on the cover of the videotape, the pebbles in the Kevin Orlin Johnson book, the pebbles I saw on Jones Beach when I went out that summer to see friends.

I thought a lot.

I just didn't say any Rosaries.

I find this to be true of my spiritual life, and maybe it applies to yours as well: I think about things more than I do them; I ponder what seems their goodness more than I perform them. As if my thought alone were enough. But a thought alone isn't quite enough; it's an impulse and not a commitment, a passing thing that doesn't take root unless you plant it and make it grow.

So I just thought about all this. And was very glad other people were saying Rosaries, and when I met them, I always asked that they pray for me.

Meanwhile, the problems I was having were growing more urgent. And I would talk to God about them. But I didn't say the Rosary.

And then I believe I was told to do it.

How was she told? Well, for that I encourage you to read the book (I'm not above dangling a tasty carrot). The problem Noonan details is a problem I have myself. It is so easy to think about something rather than to do it. However, through this passage (and the miracle that follows) John Paul II is reaching me through this book and calling me back to the rosary which I began saying again this morning on my way to work. It was once a steady habit, but fallen by the wayside somehow as things sometimes do.

Perhaps it also helps that Noonan was heavily influenced by Kevin Orlin Johnson's book Rosary, which also pulled me into the rosary soon after my conversion. I have never known anyone else who read it and so that helped get my attention. (Off topic is a question I always have meant to ask: does anyone else have this book and, if so, does their book smell of roses? I assume they somehow put the scent in the paper which is a nice touch but always wondered as I never could find any reference to it in the book credits.) [Update - it turns out no one else has had this experience except my family.]

Noonan also references others who have perspective and personal experiences such as George Wiegel, Michael Novak, Richard Neuhaus, and even actor Jim Caviezel who portrayed Jesus in The Passion of the Christ. The snippets that she quotes have made me interested in reading more indepth about John Paul II.

Go find this book and read it now!

UPDATE

I have now finished the book and it holds up right through the end. To her credit, Noonan does not skirt the places where John Paul II was not perfect and which contributed to such problems in the American church as a "cardboard" Mass or the sex scandals. She examines the problems and the various degrees of blame which could be attributed to the areas where John Paul's lacked in leadership. I found especially interesting her theory of why the pope was so deficient in handling the sex scandal problem. It was a theory that I hadn't heard and one that some may say is too kind, however, I think it possibly is quite right.

However, this does not diminish his great overall achievements both for Noonan (and many, many others personally) and for the Church as a whole. The book ends on a note of JPII's legacy to Benedict XVI. I will leave it to you to see Noonan's nickname for Pope Benedict which I hadn't heard before but is so apt that I laughed with delight when I read it. Again, this book cannot be more highly recommended.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this was titled John Paul the Great, I would say it's more "my own spiritual journey, which happened to be partially influenced by John Paul II." There was so much in this book that had little or nothing to do with JPII, and what there was seemed to be fairly shallow. In other words, most of her memories of JPII seemed to be the same as what most people saw publicly, even though Noonan is a journalist and was able to get closer than most of us. It wasn't bad, but it sure wasn't a biography of John Paul.

[Arthur · Rating 3 out of 5]

An 8 and a half hour unabridged audiobook.

What I really liked about it? Unlike other dry biographies I've read, the author really catches the impact the Pope had on people. The excitement they felt when seeing him. The awe of being in his presence. It must have been spine tingling.

On the flip side, this isnt merely a fluff piece. The author rightly condemns the Pope for ignoring the pedophile scandals in the United States, and doesnt merely barely mention them.

My biggest critique is that the author brings herself to the forefront too often. Focusing on her own faith journey, and often venturing into topics with too many degrees of separation from a papal biography this is supposed to be. Overall i liked it- 3 stars.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a amazing read about tht"Peoples Pope!"

[Joseph R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a well-crafted blend of John Paul II's biography, his wide-ranging theology, and Noonan's personal experience of him as a spiritual father. She goes through the details of his childhood, growing up in a Poland first occupied by the Nazis then by the Soviets. Neither invader wanted the Catholic religion to flourish, so Karol Wojtyla (John Paul II's pre-papal name) had to study in secret. He worked in a factory. The other workers knew about his vocation and supported it by taking shifts for him and hiding his study materials. He was an active young man and continued skiing, hiking, and other physical activities throughout his priesthood. He worked as a pastor, eventually rising from parish and academic work to bishop of Krakow.

He was a key advisor during the Second Vatican Council and became the first non-Italian pope in centuries. In many ways, he led a new era in the Church and the world. He traveled extensively (typically kissing the ground as soon as he got off the plane) and inspired the faithful crowds wherever he went. His travels and messages about human freedom and dignity provided much impetus for the downfall of Communism in Europe. His example of loving others, even the man who tried to assassinate him in 1981, was widely admired. He started the Wednesday catechesis where he talked about various issues at Wednesday audiences, including his theology of the body. He kept up the work of ministering to the Church in the world until the end when he died in 2005. He had a lot of illnesses but showed the value of human life and the way to suffer with dignity and grace.

Noonan interweaves her personal experiences of John Paul (though she only met him a few times) with his story. As a young reporter in the 1980s, she went to Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York City when he celebrated a Mass during his first papal visit to the United States. She wasn't very religious at the time but was still touched by his presence. She grew in faith through the years and had more fascinating encounters with the pope. She writes candidly and charmingly about these experiences.

Reading this book gives a good overview of the life and theology of John Paul II and also a glimpse into the life and theology of Peggy Noonan, a woman who admired and followed John Paul. The book is a very human portrait of both of them.

Highly recommended.

The book will be discussed on A Good Story is Hard to Find Podcast #265 in early September 2021.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on john Paul's papacy

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peggy Noonan is well-known for her excellence in journalism; she shows in John Paul the Great her excellence in faith as well. The pages of this book are a well-written, moving, and honest tribute to the man who was Pope John Paul II. She discusses his life, his doctrine, his humor. She shows the world’s universal great love for this man from Poland.

I had never known a world without John Paul II; he was as constant as the sun. At the time of his death, I worked at a Catholic school, making the impact stronger and deeper. I will forever remember watching the live broadcast from Vatican City waiting for the announcement of the new Pope. It is a turning point in my faith: the point at which I, for the very first time, felt a part of the church catholic. Thinking of that moment - when the curtains parted and the world collectively held their breath - still chokes me up, almost a year after Benedict XVI was announced. I read this book with the intent of learning about John Paul; I did learn a great deal, about Noonan, myself, and the rest of the world along with John Paul. He is sorely missed.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a worthwhile 'read'. I listened to an audiobook version which was read by the author, and would suggest that version if available. Reading it would take away the author's emphasis on various portions. The reading was so conversational that I'm tempted to look at the book to see if she actually included the pauses she made aloud. It isn't so much a biography as it is a series of meditations on Noonan's experiences with the Church, with many different holy people and with John Paul II himself that follow a reasonably chronological order. The commentary is unapologetically personal and thoughtful and she includes enough personal background for her words to resonate without too much detail to detract from the central character, John Paul himself. I found myself stopping a times to consider what she had said and whether or not I had a similar experience or thought. Noonan also includes some wonderful illustrative stories to further underline some of the points that she is trying to make.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peggy Noonan's John Paul the Great is more a memoir of her own spiritual growth than biography of the recently canonized St. John Paul II - but her spiritual life has so clearly been led and molded by him that there's no need for her to write about them separately.

Noon brings to life the deep ties between the rise of John Paul II, the first Polish Pope, and the beginning of the end of Communism in that country. She summarizes and distills JPII's teachings on fear, morality, and ethics.

Finally, Noonan is a deft and lucid prose stylist whom every writer, no matter what they write, could do well to learn from. I learned a lot of good spiritual ideas here, and I am very grateful to have read them.

[JanB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complete bios of John Paul have already been written. I enjoyed listening to Noonan describe her personal journey and John Paul's influence on her life, yet there was enough meat about John Paul to keep it from being all about her. I learned some things about John Paul that I didn't know, many of which made me smile. What a great man and pope. The author does a great job narrating her book.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were whole chapters that focused on Peggy's religious experience without any reference to JP2. I wished it was more objective.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished reading John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father by Peggy Noonan. I had reading a book about Pope John Paul II on my "to do" list for a long time. Earlier I had read her book What I Saw at the Revolution: A Political Life in the Reagan Era. Both books left me somewhat cold for similar reasons. Frankly, when she exceeds essay or article length, she becomes disorganized and loses focus. I expected better this time and was again disappointed. I added to the first paragraph of the review: "The book is a combination of an (almost) hagiography mixed down with an annoying amount of "author intrusions" concerning her views on various theological and political issues."

Pope John Paul II was a historical great. He was unusually courageous during the Holocaust in maintaining close friends among Jewish people. As Pope, on behalf of the Vatican he recognized the State of Israel. Noon diluted the greatness of her subject with personal meanderings. Indeed, a few times she said, in the book, "now, let's return to John Paul." Nowhere was there discussion of the sheer bravery in befriending Jews during Holocaust-era Poland, the country with the highest ratio of its Jews murdered. The book did admirably cover the Church's pedophilia scandals. The book also gave a surprisingly good overview of Europe's manic self-immolation in the course of two world wars.

The timing of my reading the Peggy Noonan book was the completion of Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews, by James Carroll. Constantine's Sword was a powerful history of the Roman Catholic Church. About the only thing it didn't mention was the pedophilia scandals and the high-living lifestyle of some of the Archbishops and Cardinals. Both of those were discussed by Peggy Noonan, so I have to give the book a "three." I will say I almost put the book down until the chapter on the pedophilia scandals, called "The Great Shame." The drawback of the book is I still feel that I don't know as much about John Paul as I wanted to.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Paul the Great was an interesting review of Catholicism in the 80s through 2000s as framed by John Paul II's papacy and author Peggy Noonan's experiences over that period. While I left feeling like I didn't really learn anything new about John Paul himself, Noonan's reflections were interesting and insightful.

Noonan had encounters with prominent Catholic figures that would have made Forrest Gump proud. Her encounters are touching and entertaining and lead into thoughtful explorations of different aspects of Catholicism. It was especially interesting hearing some takes I hadn't heard before, particularly how Noonan described masses as becoming boring on John Paul's watch.

Regarding John Paul, the most interesting aspect to me was how Noonan described the pope's slow decline under the public spotlight as a sacrifice, a gift to the world. As I'm currently recovering from an illness that sidelined me miserably for two days, considering taking a sick day or working from home to avoid overexertion, I keenly feel how much strength John Paul II showed.

I wish I would have learned a little more about John Paul himself. His personal history is covered, but compared to other detailed explorations I've read recently like Killers of the Flower Moon and Radium Girls, John Paul the Great doesn't give us much about his background or path to the papacy. Noonan works well with the pieces she uses, but I'd love to see more.

Overall, I'd recommend the book. Noonan has a wealth of interesting experiences with the Vatican, and I enjoyed reading her thoughts on the state of the church.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I shelved this book both as a biography but also as a spiritual memoir because it is a very personal account of Noonan's love and admiration for John Paul and also her own coming to faith.

There is a lot about John Paul's beliefs--his respect for life from conception to the end. She talks of his suffering at the end of his life. I probably would have liked to have learned more about his early years and may look for that elsewhere--his study for the priesthood in secret and his relationship with Solidarity in Poland. She criticizes John Paul for not speaking out enough on the crisis of abuse in the church and tells of a speech she made that did so very directly to bishops and priests.

I have subscribed to Noonan's newsletter and appreciated her take on the current political situation in her piece in the WSJ this week--calling Trump "a bad man" and calling on Biden to step down saying he had done what needed doing and now someone else could take over.

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this because I didn’t know much about John Paul II, so this was a great informer. Love Peggy Noonan from the WSJ, and her writing style was great. Agreed that the sexual allegations are the biggest black eye to the church, and the perspective to that was interesting. As was the awful education and sermons from the American church, which was another mentioned failure under JP II’s watch. But his commitment to praying and ability to ignore the perks of being pope are extraordinary. Loved this read and for those who don’t know about JP II, this is a great read.

[Doris Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Ms. Noonan conversational style. She made it easy to read the book. I did like reading about John Paul II again. I appreciation his writings on sexuality. I really liked when he said that the first person in Genesis was a human, Adam, and that Eve was another human made from the rib of Adam. That seemed to even out the distinction between Adam and Eve and made them 2 humans instead of woman being made from man. I was sorry that John Paul was not able to deal with the American priests' sexual abuse.

[Joseph DeCrisanti · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright. My biggest problem with this book is that it isn’t what it advertises. The book is titled John Paul the Great but the author spends a good amount of the word count talking about he spiritual journey. While I found it interesting I feel it that applicable to my life. If you want to read about the author’s spiritual journey and how JP2 influenced it read this book you’ll probably enjoy it. If you wanted more so to read about JP2 directly you’ll find some interesting facts about him but also a lot of stuff you didn’t ask for.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked hearing about JPII from Noonan's perspective. That is the subject of the book- her knowledge, perspective, and how he influenced her. I enjoyed the read and thought that it was well-written, but would say that if you only read one biography of this incredible person, pick one that focuses on a juxtaposition of his life and spirituality. Then, if you decide to read another, maybe this one.

[Paul Rubio · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an epic read. It told great stories in the life of Pope St. John Paul II. There were moments that truly stirred me, like reading about his visits to communist Poland as Pope. And while I wasn't expecting it, it was nice reading Peggy's personal narratives encountering Pope St. John Paul II, and even her views on issues of the church, like the sex abuse scandal. It was also nice having her discussion about the election of Pope Benedict XVI. This book had a good deal of depth.

[Brace1737 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peggy Noonan gives us two books in one: a basic introduction to the life and writings of Pope John Paul II for lay people and also a spiritual autobiography. I listened to the audio book version and hearing the author's voice gave added impact to the points that she made about Pope John Paul and the Church.

I found this audiobook well-worth my time and it did not seem dated.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biography of Saint Pope John Paul II. Noonan writes beautifully about this beautiful man. He led a crazy life; the details are astounding!

Highly recommended for Catholics and non-Catholics.

Read large print copy (the only copy at BTPL library).

** Focus on what is good & beautiful (like JPII's life) to elevate your spirit. **

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joh Paul, the Great was an excellent read. The author gave insight into the life of John Paul and how it impacted his ministry. I enjoyed reading about his teachings and how they are so relevant to today's world. Ms. Noonan also discussed some aspects of the pope's time that could have been handled better. I would enjoy reading this book again with a group.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peggy Noonan has a very engaging personal style that made this book a pleasure to read. It is an extended reflection on the life of John Paul II but also about how his papacy affected her and her faith. If you're looking for a history book, this isn't it. Her humor and candor give it life. Her reporting on the scandals were spot on and her conversation with Cardinal Law was enlightening.

[Corey · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some really beautiful moments in this despite the fact that there were some eye roll moments as well. It also meandered a lot. This could've been much shorter, even a well-written magazine article if Ms. Noonan hadn't spent copious amount of time rambling on about things that had nothing to do with her topic.

[Vanessa Dehner · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a practicing Catholic and looking for something to read during the Lenten season, this book was appropriate - Ms. Noonan does go into details about John Paul and his legacy but also flips the script and notes his imperfections during his papacy. I didn't think this book was terrible but the author does weave in her own personal story which I didn't expect but does give some perspective the influence John Paul had on her life.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good insight into JP2, with some new things I had not heard before. However, alot of the book was Peggy Noonan's personal insights and stories. Sometimes good, sometimes not. I would have preferred less of that honestly. It seemed more of a memoir than a biography.

[Julia Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the first half...second half, talks about the abortion issues, the sex scandals, suicide...got very old quickly. We all know where the church stands on these issues...how we can move on from them is not discussed. Loved the chapter on prayer.

[Joe Duboulay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Not just a biography but also many personal insights of the author as she related her personal experiences and feelings on how she was moved by this great saint. Beautifully written book.

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The subject was fascinating, But the book was poorly titled. This was about the authors path to religion and her discovery, not a book about the pope. There was some detail, Though nothing new, and it was interspersed and a secondary thread. I also felt it was sloppily written

[Christiandebergerac · Rating 3 out of 5]

First half is great, second half more about authors personal beliefs, journey, and Benedict XVI