The Pope John Paul II bibliography contains a list of works by Pope John Paul II, and works about his life and theology.
Pope John Paul II reigned as pope of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City for years (October 1978–April 2005). Works written and published prior to his election to the papacy are attributed to Karol Wojtyła. Additional resources can be found on the Vatican site
Books The following is a list of books written by John Paul II both before and after becoming pope, although pre-papacy his name was Karol Wojtyla.
– This was the author's first doctoral dissertation at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome. – This was the author's habilitation thesis."Introduction" in Person and Community, xv – This was the author's first published book, integrating his pastoral experience with young people with a penetrating philosophical analysis of the conditions for true love. The book addresses such issues as attraction, desire, sentiment, sensuality, shame, friendship, and justice toward the Creator. Promieniowanie ojcostwa, under a pseudonym Andrzej Jawień, 1964. – This is a major philosophical work directed to the person, which involves the use of the metaphysics of St. Thomas Aquinas for all that is objective in man and the phenomenological method for the study of man's personal subjectivity. – This book is a guide to the pastoral synod of the Archdiocese of Kraków in their deliberations, and introduces the reader to the documents of Vatican II and how they can be implemented as a response of faith to God's action through the council. – This is the first English translation of Osoba i czyn. – This is the first English translation of Miłość i odpowiedzialność. This book analyzes sex, romantic attraction, lust, and spousal love by determining the conditions necessary for true love. – Essays were originally published in Polish between 1955 and 1977. The collection is indispensable for understanding Wojtyla's synthesis of Thomism with phenomenology and for understanding Thomism as Thomistic Personalism. – This book is a conversational presentation of two retreats Karol Wojtyła gave 10 years apart before becoming pope. During that time he served in Kraków as bishop and cardinal. – This book presents the author's many teachings and ideas. – This book is a compilation of weekly lectures titled Theology of the Body, delivered from 1979 to 1984 to married couples about the deep meaning of human love and sexuality. Letters to My Brother Priests: Complete Collection of Holy Thursday Letters (1979-2005), Midwest Theological Forum, Woodridge 2006, 398 pgs. – The author's thoughts on the priesthood and how the event of the Incarnation in world history is manifest daily in the lives of priests who have been chosen to follow in His footsteps. – This book is a carefully selected compilation of words and prayers of the author, compiled by Anthony F. Chiffolo. Roman Triptych (Meditation) – 6 March (2003), in Italy published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way, Warner Books (28 September 2004), , mostly addressed to his bishops, although it has been used as source of inspiration for others having knowledge of Christianity. Memory and Identity – Conversations at the Dawn of a Millennium, published by Rizzoli (22 March 2005) , conversational presentation of John Paul II's views on many secular topics, such as evil, freedom, contemporary Europe, nationalism, and democracy. Included in the book is also a transcript of the Pope's discussion of his assassination attempt in 1981. Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body [John Paul II; Translated by Dr. Michael Waldstein] Pauline Books & Media, 2006. , a new translation in English created from the newly discovered original Polish work written by John Paul II (Promulgated by Pope John Paul II), Catecismo de la Iglesia Catolica, Doubleday, 2006.
Plays The following is a list of plays written by Pope John Paul II. David Job Jeremiah The Jeweler's Shop: A Meditation on the Sacrament of Matrimony, Passing on Occasion into a Drama, Arrow, (17 March 1980) . Our God's Brother, Ave Maria Press (1995) , play written by Karol Wojtyła in Poland during World War II at a time when Nazis were suppressing Polish culture (1944). The Jeweller's Shop (), 88 min (Canada) / 95 min (USA), 1988, colour, directed by Michael Joseph Anderson. Our God's brother (in Polish: Brat naszego Boga), 123 min, 1997, colour, directed by Krzysztof Zanussi.
Poetry The following is a list of books of poetry written by Pope John Paul II. The Place Within: The Poetry of Pope John Paul II, Random House; 1st edition (25 October 1994) , lyrical poetry Roman Triptych. Meditations, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, (Vatican) March 2003), The Poetry of Pope John Paul II, USCCB (1 September 2003) , poems written in the summer of 2002.
Audio
The following is a list of audio recordings produced by Pope John Paul II. Sings at the Festival of Sacrosong (1979), Infinity Entertainment Group Rosario del Papa (1994), Max Music & Entertainment Rosario (1994), ISR Records (Spanish) A Celebration of Mass (1995), BMG Video El Santo Rosario (1995), Sony Music Distribution Pope of the Rosary (1995), Trinity Records (English, Spanish) Der Papst in Paderborn (1996), Titan (German) Abbà Pater (1999), Sony Music Distribution Pope John Paul II (2000), Gateway Papal Blessing/Ave Maria (2000), Gateway Records Du Bist Petrus (2000), Universal Music Orbi Millennium (2003), Beaux Piesni Polakow dla Papieza (2004), GM Recordings Papst Johannes Paul II in Deutschland (2005), Sonia Die Helligen Vater in Deustschland (2005), Delta Distribution
Encyclicals Pope John Paul II issued 14 Papal encyclicals during his reign as Pope of the Catholic Church for over 26 years, from his election on 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005. Encyclicals (from Latin encyclia, from the Greek "en kyklo, ", meaning "general" or "encircling") were originally circular letters sent to all the churches of a particular area in the early Christian church.
For the modern Catholic Church, a papal encyclical, in the strictest sense, is a letter sent by the Pope which is explicitly addressed to Catholic bishops of a particular area or to the world, usually treating some aspect of Catholic doctrine. A papal encyclical is generally used for significant issues, and is second in importance only to the highest ranking document now issued by popes, an Apostolic Constitution.
The title of a Papal Encyclical is usually taken from its first few words. Pope John Paul II issued his first encyclical, Redemptor hominis, on 4 March 1979. Ecclesia de Eucharistia, his last encyclical, was issued on 17 April 2003.Pope John Paul II Encyclicals, with Study Tool (most in English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish; one also in Arabic and Latin) – from the Papal Archive at the internet site of the Holy See. Retrieved 13 December 2006.
No. TitleSubjectDateLatinEnglish translation1.Redemptor hominis"The Redeemer of Man"On Jesus' Redemption of the world; the central importance of the human person; the Pope's plan of governance4 March 19792.Dives in misericordia"Rich in Mercy"On God's mercy given to the Church and the world30 November 19803.Laborem exercens"On Human Work"On the 90th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII's encyclical Rerum novarum; the conflict of labour and capital, and the rights of workers14 September 19814.Slavorum Apostoli"The Apostles of the Slavs"In commemoration of Saints Cyril and Methodius2 June 19855.Dominum et vivificantem"The Lord and Giver of Life"On the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and the world18 May 19866.Redemptoris Mater"Mother of the Redeemer"On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life of the pilgrim Church25 March 19877.Sollicitudo rei socialis"On Social Concerns"On the 20th anniversary of Pope Paul VI's encyclical Populorum progressio; on the social concerns and teachings of the Church30 December 19878.Redemptoris missio"Mission of the Redeemer"On the permanent validity of the Church's missionary mandate7 December 19909.Centesimus annus"The Hundredth Year"On the 100th anniversary of Rerum novarum; on capital and labour; and on Catholic social teaching1 May 199110.Veritatis splendor"The Splendor of Truth"On fundamental questions of the Church's moral teaching6 August 199311.Evangelium vitae"The Gospel of Life"On the value and inviolability of human life25 March 199512.Ut unum sint"That They May Be One"On commitment to ecumenism25 May 199513.Fides et ratio"Faith and Reason"On the relationship between faith and reason; condemning both atheism and faith unsupported by reason; affirming the place of reason and philosophy in religion14 September 199814.Ecclesia de Eucharistia"The Church of the Eucharist" On the Eucharist in its relationship to the Church17 April 2003
Apostolic exhortations Apostolic Exhortations of John Paul II from the Vatican Apostolic Exhortations of John Paul II from ETWN
Notable exhortations Notable Apostolic Exhortations of Pope John Paul II include:
Catechesi Tradendae (Catechesis in Our Time, 1979) Christifideles laici (Christ's Faithful People, 1988) Ecclesia in America (The Church in America, 1999) Ecclesia in Asia (The Church in Asia, 1999) Ecclesia in Europa (The Church in Europe) Familiaris consortio (The Christian Family in the Modern World, 1981) Pastores dabo vobis (Shepherds After My Own Heart (on priestly formation), 1992) Pastores gregis (The Shepherds of the Lord's Flock, 2003) Reconciliatio et paenitentia (Reconciliation and Penance, 1984) Redemptoris custos (Guardian of the Redeemer (On the person and mission of Saint Joseph), 1989) Vita consecrata (Consecrated Life, 1996)
Apostolic letters Christifideles Laici: The Lay Members of Christ's Faithful People, 1988. Christifideles laici explains the urgent indispensability of the laity to bring God's love into the world. Dies Domini - Dies Domini is an apostolic letter promulgated by Pope John Paul II on July 30, 1998. In this doctrine, Pope John Paul encourages the Catholic population to 'rediscover the meaning' behind keeping the Lord's Day holy. Mulieris Dignitatem: On the Dignity and Vocation of Women on the Occasion of the Marian Year, 1988. Mulieris Dignitatem defends the equality of women, the vocation to love, the mutual submission of husbands and wives, the on-going impact of Original Sin on male/female relationships, Jesus's modeling of how to treat women, the significance of Jesus's mother for today's Christians, and the nature of the relationship between Christ and His Church including the role of the Eucharist as expressing the total self-gift of Christ and making possible the reciprocal total self-gift of the recipient. Novo millennio ineunte- (At the beginning of the new millennium) is an apostolic letter of Pope John Paul II, addressed to the Bishops Clergy and Lay Faithful, "At the Close of the Great Jubilee of 2000". Ordinatio sacerdotalis Salvifici doloris "Redemptive Suffering" Apostolic Letters of John Paul II from Vatican web site Apostolic Letters of John Paul II from EWTN (Selected letters) The Rapid Development - The Rapid Development (Il Rapido Sviluppo) is an apostolic letter written by Pope John Paul II in 2005 to those who are involved in communications. Rosarium Virginis Mariae - letter from 2002 proclaiming a "Year of the Rosary" and introducing the Luminous Mysteries.
Apostolic constitutions Ut sit (1982) Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Constitution raising Opus Dei (Latin for "The Work of God") to the rank of a Personal Prelature (similar to a diocese, but grouping people by some peculiar pastoral reason instead of by where they live) Sacrae Disciplinae Leges (1983) Pope John Paul II's constitution instituting the 1983 Code of Canon Law Pastor Bonus (1988) — Pope John Paul II's rules on the re-organisation of the Roman Curia