The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines prayer as the "raising of one's mind to God", or as "the requesting of good things from God". This definition confirms the truth, recognized for centuries that prayer is a conversation with God. For centuries, there existed collections of different prayers, enshrined in words, which helped other people in their conversations and union with God. Accordingly, we call them "Prayer books", or in folk devotions "Devotional Books".

The Veritas Publication Centre in London, England has prepared just such a Prayer book. Dedicated in the year 2000 on the 80th anniversary of the birth of John Paul II, it incloses basic Catechetical truths, concisely explained tenets of the faith; explanations of the holy Sacraments, particularly helpful in the proper preparation and experience of the Sacrament of Penance; texts of the permanent parts of the holy Mass and various devotions such as the Stations of the Cross, the Rosary and a large selection of Church hymns.

The novelty of this Prayer book is its bilingual character. It aims at meeting the needs of the present generation who may have some difficulty in understanding the Polish language, especially young people who nevertheless wish to pray with their parents and are involved in the Polish parish worship. Next to the Polish texts run their English versions. The choice of the language was dictated by the fact that the largest Polish expatriate communities live in English speaking countries. The prayer book seeks to facilitate participation in worship conducted in Polish, above all during the course of the liturgical year.