Saint John Paul II

By TOM DENNEHY

We celebrate the feast day of St. John Paul II on October 22nd. Karol Josef Wojtyla was born on 18th May 1920 in the Polish town of Wadowice, 35 miles south west of Krakow, and was the youngest of three children. By the age of 12 years he had lost his mom, his sister who had died in infancy and his brother, a doctor who died of scarlet fever. As a youth he was vibrant and athletic. At the age of 18 years he and his father moved to Krakow, where he enrolled at the Jagiellonian University. While studying Philology and various languages, he worked as a volunteer librarian. He performed with various theatrical groups and worked as a playwright. During this time, his talent for language blossomed, and he learned as many as fifteen languages, nine of which he used extensively as Pope. In 1939, after invading Poland, the Nazi German occupation forces closed the University forcing him to work as a manual labourer in a quarry and later in a chemical factory. After his father’s death in 1941 he started thinking seriously about the priesthood. After finishing his studies at the Seminary in Krakow, he was ordained a priest on All Saints Day, 1st November 1946. He was a great orator which came to the fore during the Second Vatican Council championing the changes that needed to be made in The Church. He was appointed Bishop of Krakow in 1958, Archbishop in 1964 and Cardinal in 1967. He was elected Pope in 1978 and was a surprise choice, being the first non Italian Pope in 455 years and the first from a Slavic country. As part of his effort to promote greater understanding between nations and between religions, he undertook numerous trips abroad. He travelled to more than 129 different countries campaigning against political oppression. His emphasis on non violent political activism aided the Solidarity Movement in Communist Poland in the 1980s which ultimately contributed to the peaceful dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

His Visit To Ireland

We remember with great affection his visit to Ireland in 1979 for the centenary of Our Lady’s Apparition at Knock. We remember the crowds that were present at The Phoenix Park in Dublin, Limerick, Knock and the youth rally in Galway when he cried out to all the young people present, “Young people of Ireland I love you” St. John Paul had a great affection for young people establishing the World Youth Day in 1985 which is now held every two years in different counties attracting huge crowds. In the Philippines in 1995 up to five million people attended the final mass and the Pope had to use a helicopter to get to the stage.

His Devotion To Our Lady

St. John Paul II had intense devotion to Mary the Mother of God. Totus Tuus - “Totally Yours” - was his motto signifying his desire to give himself entirely to Jesus through Mary. His favourite prayer was the rosary and he inspired so many to begin praying the rosary. His true devotion to Mary was repaid when she protected him from the bullets of his assassin on 13 May 1981. The Pope was shot four times and suffered severe blood loss but he survived. He later attended Fatima on the centenary year, 2000 in thanksgiving for Our Lady’ s protection. St. John Paul later visited his assassin in prison and forgave him.

Divine Mercy Devotion

He was instrumental in bringing us the Divine Mercy devotions, championing the writings of St. Faustina whom Jesus had chosen to let the world know about the unfathomable mercy of God for the world. He established Divine Mercy Sunday which is celebrated by The Church on the second Sunday after Easter and he canonized Saint Faustina on this very day-Divine Mercy Sunday 2000.

The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary

In 2002 he established the new rosary mysteries also referred to as the Mysteries of Light which is a mediation on the ministry life of Jesus. This rosary is said each Thursday and begins with the baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan and ends with the Institution of the Holy Eucharist.

Writings of St John Paul

His writings and many encyclicals include The Theology of the Body, The Eucharist, The Mercy of God, Redemption, The Dignity Of The Human Race, The Christian meaning of Human Suffering and so many, many more. St John Paul II left us an amazing legacy and he is remembered with great affection. He is one of the greatest Saints and Popes of all time. He died on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday on 2th April 2005 aged 84, and was canonized on 27 April 2014, Divine Mercy Sunday.

St John Paul II, pray and intercede for us.