John Paul II & John XXIII Canonization Bundle (92 vols.)

Originally published in Polish in 1960, Love and Responsibility is Karol Wojtyla’s groundbreaking book on human love which explains relationships between persons—especially concerning sexual ethics—in the context of human dignity.

This new translation of John Paul II’s classic work uses the 2001 version of the text published in Polish, which includes revisions to the original 1960 edition made by Blessed John Paul II himself. Also included is the first English publication of then-Cardinal Wojtyla’s article “On the Meaning of Spousal Love,” in which he continues his reflections on the topic. Translator Grzegorz Ignatik, a native Polish speaker, provides notes that define key terms, including Latin words and phrases. He also supplies comprehensive information on language nuances and major concepts.

This work is complementary to Blessed John Paul II’s Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body and is a must-read for those interested in understanding his thought more fully. Whether you are a fan of John Paul II, a Theology of the Body enthusiast, a seminarian, a professor, a student, or a reader who enjoys philosophy and theology, you will find this translation to be rich in authenticity and accessibility.

While Love and Responsibility remains a challenging work on many levels, this masterful translation will greatly assist you in understanding Wojtyla’s insightful reflections. It will also be a rewarding experience as you are shown how to love responsibly—in your relationships with spouses, family members, friends, companions, and neighbors—attaining love that is truer and more fulfilling.

Man and Woman He Created Them is John Paul II’s seminal work on the bodily dimension of human identity, sexuality, marriage, and celibacy. First written while he was Archbishop of Kraków, then later revised and delivered as a series of catecheses after he became pope, this work was called “theology of the body” by John Paul II himself. In his momentous teaching, John Paul II has left us the core of his great vision, focused on the mystery of love extending from the Trinity, through Christ’s spousal relation with the Church, to the concrete bodies of men and women. With keen insight into the modern “split” between the person and the body, he presents an integral image of the human person, one rooted in Sacred Scripture and the Church’s living tradition.

This translation of the pope’s work, prepared by biblical scholar Michael Waldstein, allows us to enter into John Paul II’s profound vision. With the inclusion of material previously unpublished in English, and the rediscovery of John Paul II’s own headings for the work, the reader is able to follow the pope’s thought with clarity and confidence.

Complete with a comprehensive introduction, translator’s footnotes, and detailed index, this edition has been crafted with the kind of insight that builds more than 20 years of scholarship on John Paul II’s great gift to the Church.

The Apostolic Constitutions and Exhortations of John Paul II (44 vols.) contains the most important writings of John Paul II, next to his encyclical letters. The papal office holds the highest teaching authority in the Catholic Church, and the popes realize this office through a number of channels and through the promulgation of a variety of documents. The most famous of these are the papal encyclical letters, which express the pope’s mind normally on matters of faith and morals. Apostolic exhortations often concern similar topics but do not define doctrine and are normally directed at encouraging certain groups within the Church to certain activities. In recent decades apostolic exhortations have most often been issued at the conclusion of synods of bishops and have served as the popes’ summations and interpretations of those synods’ conclusions. Apostolic constitutions, however, are more juridical in nature. They are formal papal decrees and carry the highest authority. Apostolic constitutions can deal with the structure of the Church, but also the liturgy, pastoral, or dogmatic concerns. Together with encyclicals, apostolic exhortations and constitutions are the most important documents produced by the Holy See, touching all matters of ecclesiastical government and doctrine.

For nearly two thousand years, popes have communicated to the world primarily through their letters. In the premodern world, the papal chancery turned out tens of thousands of letters a year. On occasion, a letter dealt with broad concerns and was intended to circulate through the churches of a given region. Such letters became known as encyclicals. In the modern period, papal encyclicals have become the primary medium through which the papacy exercises its teaching office. Through them, the popes address theological topics of especially timely concern, applying Christian doctrine to the immediate circumstances of the day.

Pope John Paul II wrote 14 encyclical letters. In them, the pontiff developed his characteristic personalism—a focus on the dignity of each human person as an end in and of themselves. Through this lens, John Paul II analyzed the problems faced by the contemporary world and provided penetrating insight into their solutions—solutions that focused not on political or economic policy, but on conversion. The topics of his encyclicals varied from the relationship between faith and reason, to guidelines for a just economic order, to contemporary ecumenism.

For nearly two thousand years, popes have communicated to the world primarily through their letters. In the premodern world, the papal chancery turned out tens of thousands of letters a year. On occasion, a letter dealt with broad concerns and was intended to circulate through the churches of a given region. Such letters became known as encyclicals. In the modern period, papal encyclicals have become the primary medium through which the papacy exercises its teaching office. Through them, the popes address theological topics of especially timely concern, applying Christian doctrine to the immediate circumstances of the day.

These encyclicals are a testament to their times. Written during the turbulent 1950s and 1960s, they demonstrate Blessed Pope John XXIII’s commitment to bringing the Gospel to humankind. In Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth), the first papal encyclical ever addressed not just to the Catholic faithful but “all Men of Good Will,” Pope John XXIII outlines the requirements for basic human rights, saying “Man has the right to live. He has the right to bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life. . .” He continues by listing economic, political, immigration, vocational, and religious freedoms that must exist where they are able (e.g. first-world countries). This encyclical, perhaps more than any other pre-Vatican II papal writing, has begun the foundation for the modern Catholic teaching on human rights, freedoms, and responsibilities.

Nearly a century after the First Vatican Council, the Second Vatican Council, commonly known as Vatican II, was held between 1962–1965. This assembly, invoked by Pope John XXIII, met to discuss matters of faith and Church discipline. Over 2,000 Patriarchs, Cardinals, residing Bishops, Abbots, male heads of religious orders, and other nominated persons participated each autumn in the four year event. From this assembly four Constitutions, three Declarations, and nine Decrees were produced, creating major changes for Catholic life and worship worldwide. The Vatican II Documents are essential for understanding the spirited, and sometimes contentious, conversations within Catholicism for the last fifty years.

The Logos Bible Software edition of the Vatican II Documents is the English translation published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana. With the extensively linked Vatican II Documents, resources such as the Early Church Fathers Special Catholic Edition, the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, and the Catholic Theology and Dogma Collection become even more powerful as you explore them together.

Nearly a century after the First Vatican Council, the Second Vatican Council—commonly known as Vatican II—was held between 1962 and 1965. This assembly, invoked by Pope John XXIII, met to discuss matters of faith and Church discipline. Over 2,000 patriarchs, cardinals, residing bishops, abbots, male heads of religious orders, and other nominated persons participated each autumn in the four-year event. From this assembly, four constitutions, three declarations, and nine Decrees were produced, creating major changes for Catholic life and worship worldwide. The Vatican II Documents are essential for understanding the last 50 years’ spirited, and sometimes contentious, conversations within Catholicism.

The Latin Edition of the Vatican II Documents is published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana. With the extensively linked Vatican II Documents, resources such as the Early Church Fathers Special Catholic Edition, the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, and the Catholic Theology and Dogma Collection become even more powerful as you explore them together.