Saint Pope Paul VI

Book excerpt: 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.