When Karol Wojtyla succeeded Albino Luciani, the pope of 33 days, who could possibly have foreseen the consequences? The pontificate of the first non-Italian since the sixteenth century indeed has left a lasting imprint on the church and on the world. As the world has faced the tremendous theological, social, economic and political realignment of the last half of the twentieth century, Pope John Paul II has offered clear guidance for Roman Catholics, Christians of other denominations, members of other great religions, and innumerable others of good will. The moving selections from his writings contained here speak of John Paul IIs central creed: the good news of Jesus, humanitys friend and savior, and his relevance to our own life and times.