Giant of faith, free and fearless
He was about to be late for the conclave that named him pope, having taken the time to find his neighbor’s cat before leaving Poland. At the same time, he was a giant of humanity who raised a beautiful generation young man, despite the decadent atheism of the 20th century, thanks to a new world evangelization. He was also known as a great athlete, who agreed to appear disfigured by the disease before the cameras of the world, that is, he offered his sacrifice of suffering without any limit. In addition, John Paul II had an amazing capacity for analysis and synthesis, he was a mystical poet, philosopher, theologian and, lastly, a diplomat… This giant of faith transformed world geopolitics, overthrew the fear of men and planted the civilization of love!
(Find other saints and saints in the Saints of Hozan Guidea)
Biography of John Paul II
Karol Jozef Wojtyla born in Wadowice, Poland, on May 18, 1920. His mother died when he was only nine years old, leaving only his father and older brother Edmund, who also died prematurely. In 1938, Karol enrolled in the Jagiellonian University of Krakow and took a theater course. A year later, the Nazis closed the university and the young Karol had to work in the construction of a chemical factory, but this did not prevent him from feeling the call of the Lord and the desire to follow his vocation to the priesthood. In 1942, he attended the underground seminary in Krakow and became one of the promoters of the Rhapsodic Theateralso clandestine.
After World War II, he continued his studies at the Great Seminary in Krakow and at the Theological Faculty of Jagiellon University. It was ordained a priest on November 1, 1946 in Krakow. Shortly thereafter, he was sent to Rome, where he exercised his pastoral ministry among Polish immigrants. In 1948 he supported his thesis and then returned to Poland to be vicar in various parishes in Krakow, and chaplain to students until 1951. Later he resumed his philosophical and theological studies and became a professor at the Faculty of Theology in Lublin. In 1958, he was appointed Bishop of Ombiby Pius XII, later Archbishop of Krakow by Paul VI in 1964, and finally cardinal in 1967. In addition, Karol participated in the Second Vatican Council and contributed to the drafting of the constitution Gaudium et speswhile intervening in all the assemblies of the Synod of bishops.
He was elected popeDuring the second conclave that took place on October 16, 1978, and took the name of John Paul II, becoming the 263rd successor of Saint Peter. In addition, during his possession he chose the motto: “Totus tuus: I’m all yours Maria”. On October 22, he solemnly began his ministry, while pronouncing these telling words: “Do not be afraidOn the contrary, open your doors wide to Christ.”. It should be noted that his pontificate, of almost 27 years, is one of the longest in the history of the Church.
May 13, 1981day of the anniversary of the first apparition of the Virgin in Fatima, John Paul II was the victim of an attack: a Turkish man shot him with a firearm, giving him three shots. Miraculously, no vital organ was compromised, so John Paul II attributed his survival to the intervention of the Virgin of Fatima. He also specified that this attack was the same one evoked in the Fatima message.
On the other hand, since 1990 the pope began to suffer from Parkinson’s disease, which progressively weakened him more and more. Finally, John Paul II died on April 2, 2005 in the Vaticanwhile the feast of Divine Mercy was liturgically inaugurated.
The funeral of John Paul II took place six days after his death, that is, on April 8, 2005, as it was intended that his followers could see him for the last time. In fact, more than three million faithful traveled to Rome to say their final goodbyes, and even had to wait up to 24 hours before being able to enter St. Peter’s Basilica.
Canonization and miracles of John Paul II
On April 28, 2005, the new pope Benedict XVI granted the exoneration to wait 5 years after the death for the opening of the process of beatification-canonization of John Paul II. This is how the canonical procedure was opened on June 28, 2005.
John Paul was beatified on May 1, 2011, after verifying the health of a nun suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Sister Maria Simon-Pedro Normand testified saying: “I was certain that I had healed when I got up, because I jumped up, in my body I felt a lightness and I no longer trembled.” This happened after having invoked the late pope in the company of the mother superior and other sisters of the convent.
John Paul II was canonized on April 27, 2015at the same time as Pope John XXIII, his feast was set to be celebrated on October 22. On the other hand, the process of canonization was opened thanks to the miraculous healing of a Costa Rican the night of her beatification. It is about a mother named Floribeth Mora Díaz, who had just been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm and did not have much time to live. While following her beatification event on television, she prayed intensely to John Paul II. The next day, inside heard it tell: “get up, don’t be afraid”and immediately she was healed.
Writings and quotes of Saint John Paul II
Writings: encyclicals and homilies
Among the main documents published by John Paul II, there are 14 encyclicals, 15 apostolic exhortations, 11 apostolic constitutions and 45 apostolic letters. In addition, in a personal capacity and as a Doctor, he also published 5 books: “Enter in hope” in 1994, “Gift and mystery: on the 50th anniversary of my priestly ordination” in 1996, “Roman triptych. Meditations” in 2003, “Get up and let’s go” in 2004 and “Memory and Identity” in 2005.
It should be noted that the publication of Catechism of the Catholic Church in 1992continues to be the greatest act of the pontifical magisterium of John Paul II, by means of which he wanted to establish “a sure norm for the teaching of the faith”. In this regard, John Paul II published numerous teachings, especially on the theology of the body, evoking the theme of sexuality without taboos. He wanted to bring a new perspective on the subject and change the Church’s preconceptions about sexuality.
Quotes from John Paul II about the family
- “As the family goes, so will the nation and so will the entire world in which we live.”
- “The family should be the first school of religion, the first school of prayer.”
Works and legacy of Saint John Paul II
Works: John Paul II Institute, WYD
John Paul II initiated the World Youth Days (WYD), which take place every 2 or 3 years, and bring together thousands of young Catholics from all over the world. The first WYDs were held in Rome in 1986. Since then, 14 cities have hosted this assembly of young people from all over the world.
Furthermore, in 1994 John Paul II created the World Meetings of Families, because for him they represented a high priority. In 1981 he founded the John Paul II Pontifical Institute of studies on marriage and the family in Rome, with the aim of deepening the studies carried out regarding marriage, the family and bioethics.
Legacy of John Paul II
- John Paul II’s first mission, for which he worked tirelessly, was the Christian unity. For him, it was not a luxury, nor an effort, nor an option, but the desire of the Lord Jesus manifested in his last prayer, on the night of Holy Thursday: “Let them be one.”
- Another mission assumed by the Polish pope is that of interreligious dialogue. The pope accepted this challenge and made it concrete with a fact more telling than any words: andhe Assise meeting that took place in 1986 and brought together representatives of all religions, for the first time in the history of mankind.
- John Paul II exercised his Petrine ministry with inexhaustible missionary spirit: throughout his pontificate made 104 trips outside of Italy and 144 in total; in fact, the saintly pope never failed to meet with local ecclesiastical authorities to better understand his problems.
- John Paul II promoted the spiritual renewal of the church with the Year of the Redemption, the Marian Year and the Year of the Eucharist.
- In the same way, he gave a great boost to canonizations and beatifications, with the purpose of showing the innumerable examples of holiness from todaywhich are an incentive for the people of our time.
Prayers to Saint John Paul II
John Paul II was a man of prayer. In fact, she had a very special devotion to the virgin mary and he prayed rosary beads every day. That is why he encouraged the prayer of the rosary, especially with the institution of the luminous mysteries.
Below we present various prayers to discover the spirituality of John Paul II and receive his powerful intercession in our lives.
Prayer to obtain graces through the intercession of John Paul II
“O Holy Trinity,
We thank you for having granted the Church to Pope John Paul II
and because in him you have reflected the tenderness of your paternity, the glory of the cross of
Christ and the splendor of the Spirit of love.
He, totally trusting in your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession
of Mary, has shown us a living image of Jesus the Good Shepherd,
indicating to us holiness, a high degree of ordinary Christian life, as a path
to reach eternal communion with you.
Grant us, through his intercession, and if it is Your will, the favor we implore, through Jesus Christ our Lord and our God who reigns with you, Father and Holy Spirit, now and always, forever and ever.
Amen.”
You can also pray the beautiful prayer to the Holy Spirit of Saint John Paul II.