The Pope in Canada

Cynthia Whissell is a psychology professor at Laurentian University.

It would take someone like the late Marshall McLuhan to review a book like The Pope in Canada and do it justice. The papal visit, from 9 September through 20 September 1984, in addition to its religious significance, was one of the media events of the year. It was the first time a pope of the Catholic Church has visited Canada. Few world figures have as much coverage by the media, attract such large crowds, or generate as much emotion and enthusiasm as did Pope John Paul II. Of course, there is no world political leader with the global constituency that a pope has.

This book offers over 200 colour photographs spread over 144 pages. Included are photographs by Arturo Man of L’Osservatore Roman, the staff of Pontoficia Fotografic Felici, and Boris Spremo and staff members of the Toronto Star. The clarity and composition of the photographs are of consistently good quality. The reader/viewer is presented with a wide selection of photographs that convey the varied activities of the twelve-day papal visit.

After a brief introduction by the Most Rev. J.M. Hayes, Archbishop of Halifax, the book is divided into eleven sections corresponding to the major cities (and their surrounding areas) visited by the Pope. It begins at Quebec City, with the Pope being welcomed by Prime Minister John Turner, and ends in Ottawa with the Pope being given a send-off by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. The Pope must have learned something about the political life of our country during his visit.

Each section is prefaced with a brief introduction, but these introductions neither improve the book nor equal the quality of the photographs.

The most interesting photographs, and the ones that show something of the personality of the man, are not those of the Mass spectacles, where he is in centre stage, but those that show him in personal contact with ordinary men, women, and children of all ages and conditions. One of the most interesting pictures is that of a procession of bishops at the outdoor Mass at Downsview, Ontario; it could have come from a Fellini movie.

There are relatively few captions accompanying the photographs, but they are well written and provide the reader/viewer with sufficient information to understand the events taking place.

This book is a brief pictorial reflection of Pope John Paul II’s statement during his opening address in Quebec City: “I wish above all to speak to you about fundamental problems — about faith, about the experience of God, about hope.” It is a work that will bring pleasure to many.