Praying with the Popes

I had had my eye on this title for quite some time. Then, a bit miraculously, it appeared in my parish literature rack. I was overjoyed to see it there!

Praying with the Popes is a delightful devotional. It offers words of hope and peace from Pope Leo XIII to our newly-minted Leo XIV. The chapters contain biographical information about the pontiffs, passages from encyclicals and other writings, and prompts for reflection and prayer.

I found the book to be quite inspiring and educational. While I am familiar with Pope St. John Paul II and succeeding Popes, I did not know much about his predecessors. So this work provided some much-appreciated historical context.

I was particularly struck by these words from Pope John XXIII:

"The world will never be the dwelling place of peace, till peace has found a home in the heart of each and every man, till every man preserves in himself the order ordained by God to be preserved."

I write this as war is raging in the Middle East, so the words of the Holy Father really hit home. May peace begin with me!