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Jaspers Walk in the Steps of
Pope John Paul II
Jaspers traveled in the footsteps of the late Pope John Paul II during a trip to Krakow, Poland, last August. The whirlwind tour covered the towns, churches and museums that encompass the pope’s life story, as well as a string of scenic neighboring towns that mirror the passage of Polish history. At the pope’s birthplace in the small town of Wadowice, Jaspers visited his childhood apartment, which has been converted into a museum, and Notre Dame Basilica, where he received the sacraments of baptism and confirmation and served as an altar boy. In Krakow, a city in which the population is 95 percent Catholic and boasts 87 churches offering daily Masses, the tour stopped at Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. At this pilgrimage site, dating back to the 17th century, the pope was known to pray to the Madonna of Kalwaria.
On a trip to Zakopane, they visited a breathtaking mountain village located at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, a popular ski retreat for the pope. Feeling the onset of wanderlust? After a trip to the Italian Riviera in April, the next Jasper journey will be the Cruise the Passage of Peter the Great from Moscow to St. Petersburg (Sept. 1-13, 2007). For more information, call Bob Fink at (770) 431-7070 or e-mail him at rfink@ridgeviewinstitute.com.
The traveling Jaspers explore Zakopane, a small Polish town at the foot of the Tatra Mountains.
Other pope-related stops included the Wawel Cathedral, where he delivered his first Mass and later became bishop. His former residence as bishop has since been transformed into the Krakow Archdiocese Museum and displays various personal belongings.
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Jaspers spent many hours exploring the restaurants, shops and churches in the charming Old Town of Krakow. Outside of Krakow, the group took a train to the beautiful city of Warsaw that was completely rebuilt after World War II. They also went to Auschwitz to tour the prison camp’s remaining buildings, view a movie documenting its horrors and see the starvation cell where Maximilian Kolbe died.
Athletic
Hall of Fame
On December 2, the 28th annual Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremonies honored eight outstanding athletes and two men’s basketball teams for their record-setting seasons.
Standing, from left to right: Bob Byrnes ’68, director of athletics; Peter Runge ’90; George Skau ’59, chairman of the alumni athletic hall of fame committee; Jim Smith ’60, president of the national alumni society; Gerard Houlihan ’79; and Joe Dillon ’62, director of alumni relations. Sitting, from left to right: Joseph (Jo Jo) Walters ’79; Gina Somma ’96; Wallace Pina ’53; John Ogle ’51; Kathy Solano; and Ricky Marsh ’77.
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