Pope Paul VI and his Quest for Peace

Pope Paul VI, 1963-1978, ranks among the most influential even if less recognized figures in the history of the twentieth and we can even say twenty-first century Roman Catholic Church. He inherited and embraced what he had first described as the 'hornet’s nest' of Vatican Council II created by his friend and predecessor John XXIII. In fulling the mandate of aggirornamento, renewing and updating the Church, Paul VI took particular interest in the Church’s engagement in the modern world as an instrument of peace. It was to the pursuit of peace that he dedicated his papacy, setting aside the traditional role of a pope as a neutral party and possible mediator and embracing the role of humanity’s moral conscience, speaking out in ways that suggested he was choosing sides. The US State Department suggested his vision of neutrality was 'unbalanced' because of his persistent condemnation of the US bombing strategy in Vietnam. A singular moment in his quest for world peace was his unprecedented address to the United Nations General Assembly sixty years ago on October 4, 1965. There he boldly challenged the 116 represented nations to 'move forward' to a world where there was 'Never again one against the other! Never again war!' It is to mark this 60th anniversary that the two volumes of 'Pope Paul VI and His Quest for World Peace' are written. Volume 1, 'Never again war!' examines his historic 1965 visit to New York and his guiding through Vatican Council II changes in Church teaching in finding a 'new attitude' towards war and peace. Volume 1 also explores in detail his unusual relationship with President Johnson and the role he played in the initiation of the Paris Peace Talks that would eventually end US military engagement in Southeast Asia. Volume 2, 'If you want peace...,' provides a commentary on the annual New Year’s Peace Messages he first gave in 1968 and continued throughout the remainder of his papacy. In these he offers an 'exact idea of peace,' seeking to move humanity away from the both ancient and contemporary adage, 'If you want peace prepare for war' towards a more positive, 'If you want peace promote human rights' (1969) and 'work for justice' (1972). In these two volumes Tuohey gives a coherent and compelling narrative of key historical moments and theological insight into this sometimes described as 'forgotten' pope, bringing the pope and his message back to mind for the benefit of humanity.