A thoughtful, highly acclaimed biography of Giovanni Battista Montini, Paul VI, which sheds light on and powerfully underscores the personal and ecclesial sides of a man who brought modernity to the church.

Pope Paul VI was one of the most perceptive and visionary popes in the modern era, foreseeing not just the rise of secularism, but the negative effect it would have on the family and the human soul. Yet despite the tremendous spiritual and theological value of Pope Paul VI’s writings, much has been forgotten, lost in the decades of controversy and dissent — until now. In these pages, Matthew Bunson resurrects the time-tested teachings of Pope Paul VI, showing how his prophetic reflections on modernity are needed in our own age more than ever. Guided by the deep spirituality and approachable theology of Paul VI, you’ll come to understand the root causes of secularism, the risks of globalization, the damage caused by the isolation of young people in the modern world, and why human dignity must be safeguarded in the face of scientific advances. Widely recognized as the first modern pope, Pope Paul VI led the Catholic Church in the wake of the controversies surrounding how to implement and interpret the Second Vatican Council. On one side he battled a reluctant Vatican bureaucracy resistant to authentic reform, while on the other side he guided the faithful in a time of rampant confusion. Bunson also details the graceful and holy way in which Pope Paul VI handled the many dissenting voices raised against the Church’s teachings on contraception, and how he fought for the dignity of the human person as he faced criticism from both the left and the right. Read this book, and you’ll enter into the mind of one of the Church’s newest saints, better prepared not just to defend the teachings of the Church, but to do so in an approachable and holy way.

Collection of prayers suggested by Pope Paul VI.

Reaffirming the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church on abortion, contraception and other issues pertaining to human life, Paul VI states that the Church is concerned with safeguarding the holiness of marriage. This document teaches that the transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator.

Pope Paul VI (1963-78) was one of the most important and influential pontiffs of the twentieth century. In this engaging biography, Michael Collins examines this deeply spiritual man who is remembered as a reformer, evangelizer, and pilgrim. Pope Paul’s pontificate was marked by an unprecedented series of international journeys, establishing a practice that his successors developed even further. These brought him face-to-face with modern life throughout the globe and the challenge of making the Christian message relevant in a secular world. Paul VI is regarded for his efforts to reduce poverty in the developing world, bolster the church’s rejection of artificial birth control, and foster better relations between Catholics and Orthodox and Reformed Christians. He was beatified in 2014 by Pope Francis.

The roles of the Holy See and papal diplomacy vis-á-vis international organizations have a long and intricate story that spans centuries. Papal Diplomacy and the Quest for Peace explores the encounter between the Holy See and the international order, from the establishment of the United Nations (UN) in 1945 through the pontificate of Pope Paul VI (1963-78)

Debate rages within the Catholic Church about the ethics of war and peace, but the simple question of why wars begin is too often neglected. Catholics’ assumptions about the causes of conflict are almost always drawn uncritically from international relations theory—a field dominated by liberalism, realism, and Marxism—which is not always consistent with Catholic theology. In The Origins of War, Matthew A. Shadle examines several sources to better understand why war happens. His retrieval of biblical literature and the teachings of figures from church tradition sets the course for the book. Shadle then explores the growing awareness of historical consciousness within the Catholic tradition—the way beliefs and actions are shaped by time, place, and culture. He examines the work of contemporary Catholic thinkers like Pope John Paul II, Jacques Maritain, John Courtney Murray, Dorothy Day, Brian Hehir, and George Weigel. In the constructive part of the book, Shadle analyzes the movement within international relations theory known as constructivism—which proposes that war is largely governed by a set of socially constructed and cultural influences. Constructivism, Shadle claims, presents a way of interpreting international politics that is highly amenable to a Catholic worldview and can provide a new direction for the Christian vocation of peacemaking.