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Go in Peace: A Gift of Enduring Love
The best-selling collection of the beloved pope’s most personal thoughts and writings—revised and expanded
This definitive compilation brings together the words that Pope John Paul II most urgently wanted the world to hear and embrace. Arranged by the themes he emphasized in his quarter century as pope—including prayer, forgiveness, family, suffering, the church, and Christ—Go in Peace gives the reader an up-close and personal look at this great churchman’s pastoral heart and passes along his vision for a vital life of Christian faith.
“Make time for study, meditation, and reflection. Use your intelligence well; make an effort to reach correct convictions; do not waste time; deepen the motives and foundations of faith in Christ and in the Church, so as to be firm now and in your future. We remain firm in our faith by means of prayer; remember St. Paul wrote: ‘Pray without ceasing.’”
—John Paul II, from Go in Peace
This definitive compilation brings together the words that Pope John Paul II most urgently wanted the world to hear and embrace. Arranged by the themes he emphasized in his quarter century as pope—including prayer, forgiveness, family, suffering, the church, and Christ—Go in Peace gives the reader an up-close and personal look at this great churchman’s pastoral heart and passes along his vision for a vital life of Christian faith.
“Make time for study, meditation, and reflection. Use your intelligence well; make an effort to reach correct convictions; do not waste time; deepen the motives and foundations of faith in Christ and in the Church, so as to be firm now and in your future. We remain firm in our faith by means of prayer; remember St. Paul wrote: ‘Pray without ceasing.’”
—John Paul II, from Go in Peace
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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About the author
Pope John Paul II
1,052 books628 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 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 1, 2020
Pope St John Paul II has a lot of wisdom to share and this book is a good compilation of that wisdom on many topics such as prayer, living in the world, the family, and suffering.
January 9, 2020
I first want to say that I am a Pastor and I read priests and other Pastoral works from time to time to expand my theology and to learn from more experienced pastors. As with each new pastor one can gain new insight and interpetations of various scriptural passages. I'm not catholic but overall I really enjoyed this book. There are a couple of things that I personally don't agree with him on. One is how he references the virgin mary and I disagree with his interpretation of certain passages that he refers to. Overall however this was a great book and one that I would recomend and christian read as he is obviously a well educated pastor and gets alot of things he says right when he is talking about it.
August 22, 2012
Pope John Paul II was one of my favorite people. I love his writings.
May 11, 2016
Just Beautiful. Catholic, Christian, or Atheist, Pope John Paul II ALWAYS has virtuosic life lessons. I will go back to this book, many times, for the rest of my life.
January 22, 2021
La oración, el perdón, la familia, el sufrimiento, la iglesia y Cristo, son algunos de los temas que nos comparte San Juan pablo II en este hermoso libro.
Una de las cosas que más eco me hizo en el corazón, fue la forma tan bondadosa en la que nos habla sobre el impacto que tiene la oración hacia el prójimo (y el impacto que tiene en general, claro), me conmovió muchísimo, teniendo en cuenta lo mucho que hemos estado orando por los demás en estos tiempos.
Y que gratificante es orar por las personas, que bondadoso hacer de la oración nos solo un momento privado dónde le pedimos a Dios por nuestras necesidades, sino también por las necesidades del otro. 🤍También me gustó bastante que plantea el diálogo como una resolución de los conflictos, creo que tengo mucho que aprender en ese sentido, porque ciertamente es más fácil hacer oídos sordos ante los desacuerdos y las opiniones contrarias, cuando en realidad, la única forma de resolverlos es mediante el diálogo y la prudencia, (nota mental: ¡escuchaaaa! ¡no seas mula!).
Adjunto una de mis frases favoritas:
*Dedica tiempo al estudio, la meditación y la reflexión. Usa bien tu inteligencia; haz un esfuerzo por alcanzar convicciones correctas; no pierdas tiempo; profundiza los motivos y fundamentos de la fe en Cristo y en la Iglesia, para ser firmes ahora y en el futuro. Permanecemos firmes en nuestra fe por medio de la oración; recuerda que San Pablo escribió: "Oren sin cesar"*
Una de las cosas que más eco me hizo en el corazón, fue la forma tan bondadosa en la que nos habla sobre el impacto que tiene la oración hacia el prójimo (y el impacto que tiene en general, claro), me conmovió muchísimo, teniendo en cuenta lo mucho que hemos estado orando por los demás en estos tiempos.
Y que gratificante es orar por las personas, que bondadoso hacer de la oración nos solo un momento privado dónde le pedimos a Dios por nuestras necesidades, sino también por las necesidades del otro. 🤍También me gustó bastante que plantea el diálogo como una resolución de los conflictos, creo que tengo mucho que aprender en ese sentido, porque ciertamente es más fácil hacer oídos sordos ante los desacuerdos y las opiniones contrarias, cuando en realidad, la única forma de resolverlos es mediante el diálogo y la prudencia, (nota mental: ¡escuchaaaa! ¡no seas mula!).
Adjunto una de mis frases favoritas:
*Dedica tiempo al estudio, la meditación y la reflexión. Usa bien tu inteligencia; haz un esfuerzo por alcanzar convicciones correctas; no pierdas tiempo; profundiza los motivos y fundamentos de la fe en Cristo y en la Iglesia, para ser firmes ahora y en el futuro. Permanecemos firmes en nuestra fe por medio de la oración; recuerda que San Pablo escribió: "Oren sin cesar"*
September 9, 2025
A thorough compilation of St. Pope John Paul II’s teachings and thoughts that are organized into themes within the Catholic faith. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of prayers written by JPII that concluded each thematic section. I wish that the editor included a bibliography or citations of where individual writings/speeches originated from for readers to reference for further reading.
September 20, 2022
I always love anything that JPII writes and this is a great compilation of excerpts. Good editing.
February 19, 2008
What a very positive book! It's good to get a positive view on things, that peace can actually work, now and again. There's too much pessimism (disguised as realism), so reading this book felt really renewing. My problem with it was from (probably) my approach, which was intellectually. The discussions are mostly "spirit raisers," not treaties on philosophy, and I found the book to be a little too shallow on a lot of the topics.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews