November 2007 John Paul the Great. Remembering a Spiritual Father by Peggy Noonan. Very rarely do I read a book that causes me from time to time to put down to compose myself. This book had several such moments for me as the author captured so clearly the deep Christian witness that I received from Pope John Paul II even before I became Catholic, and is perhaps one of the reasons I am Catholic now. I've read several biographies of JP2, but none that are so personal as this one. In a relatively small number of pages, Ms. Noonan captures the impact of JP2 on the lives of ordinary people and the world as a whole. Also, she frankly gives her view of the state the American Catholic Church, and a perspective on JP2's management of it...including the sex scandals that have rocked the Church. I highly recommend this book.