No Pope in the whole of papal history, writes Mr Hales in his study of the achievement of Pope John XXIII, has ever made so many specific and practical suggestions in the realm of social organization. No four years of papal history have seen such major policy changes... During his short reign he reversed both the international and the Italian policy of the papacy. It may be true that he had no blue-print for the reform of the church; he left that to the Council, after showing the bishops where to look for it.