This was a long term project that lasted 9 months as I read off and on. I began by learning that the papal name of John Paul I was taken in honor of Pope John Paul XXIII who opened Vatican II and Pope Paul VI who closed it and presided over the post-conciliar sorting out. So it was a statement of carrying on their work. John Paul II's taking up as successor shows up in these writings. I loved knowing that and seeing how important Vatican II was in every single encyclical. It turns out if we love JPII, it's because we also love Vatican II, even if we don't realize it.
1. Redemptor Hominis (Redeemer of Man), 1979
This was the first encyclical of John Paul II's pontificate. I was surprised to see how strongly he linked everything to Vatican II. It wasn't strong-armed in, just a continual touchpoint as he touched on the special needs of our times and the truth about man's nature and our relationship to Jesus. As JPII says, "Christ the Redeemer fully reveals man to himself." A rich reflection that is still very relevant to our time.
2. Dives in Misericordia (Rich in Mercy), 1980
This continues linking back to Vatican II. It is a continuation of the Pope's thought from Redemptor Hominis as he draws attention to how Christ shows us God's mercy. I especially loved how he traced the concept of mercy in the Old Testament through events where many terms showed the richness of how mercy can be revealed and felt. The reflection on the parable of The Prodigal son led directly to how receiving mercy grants human dignity to the giver, just as giving mercy grants human dignity to the recipient. As a Vincentian, this has special meaning for me.
3. Laborem Exercens (Through Work), 1981
This was much less interesting to me as the pope worked his way through things like solidarity, unions, materialism, etc. We've heard so much about such things since this was written that a lot of it was very familiar. However, something that was not familiar gave me much food for thought. Pointing out that from the beginning man is called on by God to work, he then says:
Work is one of the characteristics that distinguish man from the rest of creatures, whose activity for sustaining their lives cannot be called work. Only man is capable of work, and only man works, at the same time by work occupying his existence on earth. Thus work bears a particular mark of man and of humanity, the mark of a person operating within a community of persons. And this mark decides its interior characteristics; in a sense it constitutes its very nature.This never occurred to me, that man is the only creature who works. That work is one of the things that defines humanity and individuals.
4. Slavorum Apostoli (The Apostles of the Slavs), 1985
This was written to highlight the evangelizing work of Saints Cyril and Methodius who came up with an alphabet for Slavic languages, translated the Gospels, and lived among the Slavic people to share the faith. It was interesting history and I especially liked JPII's repeated point that the saints had to learn to love the people and culture from the inside out so they would understand how best to explain God in a way that was familiar to the people. It's a tried and true method that has been used for millennium. Vatican II is referenced, as always in these encyclicals, in a way that shows its application to the past and present church as we share the gospel.
5. Dominium et Vivificantem (The Lord and Giver of Life), 1986
It is a rich reflection of the subtitle: On the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church and the World. Simply wonderful. Solid gold.
6.> Redemptoris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer), 1987
The subtitle is On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Life of the Pilgrim Church. John Paul II had a deep devotion to Mary and it is reflected in this encyclical. We expect to hear of Mary's role in Christ's life and ministry as well as how the Second Vatican Council reflected on Mary's role in the life of the Church today, especially since JPII has had an eye to the council's contributions in every encyclical so far. What was less expected for me was that he was primarily considering Mary's personal pilgrimage of faith as she journeyed with her son. I'd never considered that aspect of Mary's life and how it also can help us along the way. There were many insightful moments in this which really affected me. Highly recommended.
7. Solicitudo Rei Socialis (The Social Concern), 1987
This encyclical was published for the 20th Anniversary of Populorum Progressio (On the Development of Peoples) by Pope Paul VI. It covered social justice of the time and in many ways this encyclical is an update of those topics. It was interesting to see how different many of our issues are and, yet, also how they are just the same. These days there is a focus on social justice in both society and the Church that makes me tired when I think of the topic. I skimmed through this and found some interesting reflections but in many ways we all know the basics of what this encyclical covers.
8. Redemptoris Missio (Mission of the Redeemer), 1990
The subtitle is "On the Permanent Validity of the Church's Missionary Mandate" and that's really what this covers. As with some of the others, this is long ago enough that we know the basics but there were many nuggets that broadened my thinking. One example is when he mentions St. Paul in Athens at the Areopagus proclaiming the Gospel to the people in terms of their gods. (A favorite story of mine.) Then he says the modern Areopagus is the world of communications. This is before social media, but JPII is right on point. I actually gasped seeing the connection.
9. Centesimus Annus (on the Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum), 1991
It addresses social justice, economic systems, and human rights, particularly in the context of the collapse of communism. It was interesting and I particularly enjoyed his reflections that "the fundamental error ofsocialism is anthropological in nature" because it considers individuals simply as an element within the social organization. And Christians can never forget the human person as an individual.
10. Veritatis Splendor (Splendor of Truth), 1993
Subtitled "On Some Fundamental Questions of the Church's Moral Teaching" and it lives up to its name on so many levels. This is an amazing work of theology and examination of our modern culture, especially in regards to relativism. Sadly, it rings even truer today when the natural progression of relativism has left many people divorced from the ability to tell what is true from what isn't.
11. Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life), 1995
The subtitle reads: On the Value and Inviolability of Human Life. It is the natural follow-up to Veritatis Splendor. The primary victim of relativism is the lowered opinion of the inestimable value of human life, in all its stages. This has continued unabated since this encyclical came out, unfortunately. JPII's words continue to ring out with inspiration and encouragement to live this truth in our lives as a blazing witness to our society and our world.
12. Ut Unam Sint (That They May Be One), 1995
The call for Christian unity as a response to Christ's prayer to the Father before his passion is here examined as only JPII can do. He would have felt this very strongly in the time in which he wrote. I found the section on the fruits of dialogue especially good since it is so often that we must talk, meet face to face, and experience for ourselves the people from whom we are separated. Not really a topic that I care about as much as some others, but well worth reading.
13. Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason), 1998
JPII himself says this is the follow-up to Splendor of Truth and that's obvious to anyone who has read both encyclicals. It's a deep dive into philosophy and theology, specifically Catholic theology to see where faith and reason intersect and support each other. It examines how we can trust the answers to the questions every human has had throughout time — "Who am I? Where have I come from and where am I going? Why is there evil? What is there after this life? ... In fact the answer given to these questions decides the direction which people seek to give to their lives." This is simply superb.
14. Ecclesia de Eucharistia (Ecclesia de Eucharistia), 2003
The subtitle is On the Eucharist in Its Relationship to the Church. This encyclical opens "The Church draws her life from the Eucharist. This truth does not simply express a daily experience of faith, but recapitulates the heart of the mystery of the Church. In a variety of ways she joyfully experiences the constant fulfilment of the promise: “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20), but in the Holy Eucharist, through the changing of bread and wine into the body and blood of the Lord, she rejoices in this presence with unique intensity. " John Paul II examines this from every angle and it is an inspiring reminder of who we are and why we love the Eucharist.
