John Paul II

John Paul II

Karol Józef Wojtyła , known as John Paul II since his October 1978 electionto the papacy, was born in Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometres fromCracow, on May 18, 1920. He was the second of two sons born to KarolWojtyła and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brotherEdmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned armyofficer died in 1941.He made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. Upongraduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled inCracow’s Jagiellonian University in 1938 and in a school for drama.The Nazi occupation forces closed the university in 1939 and young Karolhad to work in a quarry (1940-1944) and then in the Solvay chemical factoryto earn his living and to avoid being deported to Germany.In 1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in theclandestine seminary of Cracow, run by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha,archbishop of Cracow. At the same time, Karol Wojtyła was one of thepioneers of the “Rhapsodic Theatre,” also clandestine.After the Second World War, he continued his studies in the major seminaryof Cracow, once it had re-opened, and in the faculty of theology of theJagiellonian University, untilhis priestly ordination in Cracow on November 1, 1946.Soon after, Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome where he worked under theguidance of the French Dominican, Garrigou-Lagrange. He finished hisdoctorate in theology in 1948 with a thesis on the topic of faith in theworks of St. John of the Cross. At that time, during his vacations, heexercised his pastoral ministry among the Polish immigrants of France,Belgium and Holland.In 1948 he returned to Poland and was vicar of various parishes in Cracowas well as chaplain for the university students until 1951, when he took up

again his studies on philosophy and theology. In 1953 he defended a thesison “evaluation of the possibility of founding a Catholic ethic on theethical system of Max Scheler” at Lublin Catholic University. Later hebecame professor of moral theology and social ethics in the major seminaryof Cracow and in the Faculty of Theology of Lublin.On July 4, 1958, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Cracow by Pope PiusXII, and was consecrated September 28, 1958, in Wawel Cathedral, Cracow, byArchbishop Baziak.On January 13, 1964, he was nominated Archbishop of Cracow by Pope Paul VI,who made him a cardinal June 26, 1967.Besides taking part in Vatican Council II with an important contribution tothe elaboration of the Constitution Gaudium et spes, Cardinal Wojtyłaparticipated in all the assemblies of the Synod of Bishops.Since the start of his Pontificate on October 16, 1978, Pope John Paul IIhas completed 104 pastoral visits outside of Italy and 146 within Italy .As Bishop of Rome he has visited 317 of the 333 parishes .His principal documents include 14 encyclicals , 15 apostolic exhortations, 11 apostolic constitutions and 45 apostolic letters. The Pope has alsopublished five books : “Crossing the Threshold of Hope” (October 1994);“Gift and Mystery: On the 50th Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination”(November 1996); “Roman Triptych – Meditations”, a book of poems (March2003); “Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way” (May 2004) and “Memory and Identity”(pubblication spring 2005).John Paul II has presided at 147 beatification ceremonies ( 1,338 Blessedsproclaimed ) and 51 canonization ceremonies ( 482 Saints ) during hispontificate. He has held 9 consistories in which he created 231 (+ 1 inpectore) cardinals . He has also convened six plenary meetings of theCollege of Cardinals .From 1978 to today the Holy Father has presided at 15 Synods of Bishops :six ordinary (1980, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1994, 2001), one extraordinary (1985)and eight special (1980, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998[2] and 1999).No other Pope has encountered so many individuals like John Paul II: todate, more than 17,600,000 pilgrims have participated in the General
Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1,160). Such figure is withoutcounting all other special audiences and religious ceremonies held [morethan 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone]and the millions of faithful met during pastoral visits made in Italy andthroughout the world. It must also be remembered the numerous governmentpersonalities encountered during 38 official visits and in the 738audiences and meetings held with Heads of State , and even the 246audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers .The media outlets are beginning to report that the pope has died at the ageof 85. His death (presuming that the reports are true) comes, of course, atthe end of a very long illness that had him in and out of hospital (mostlyin) for many months.As of 1:45 PM EST, CNN is reporting that the pope’s brain has ceasedfunctioning but his heart is still beating. Drudgereport was reporting thathe died, but has no backtracked to say that reports indicate he may havedied.Now I wonder…is Terri Schiavo’s death going to be forgotten now that thepope has also died, or will her death overshadow the pope’s, at least inthe United States? I can’t help but draw a comparison to when MotherTeresa’s death went almost unnoticed among all the fury and media attentionsurrounding the death of Princess Diana.James White writes, “Now a Vatican representative is saying that Mary hasopened wide the door to heaven to John Paul, who dedicated himself to Mary(a reference to the Papal motto, Totus tuus, “totally yours,” addressed notto Jesus, but to Mary). If you are likewise watching, do not hold yourbreath waiting to hear about repentance from sin, the perfection of thework of Christ, the imputed righteousness of Christ. But you will hear much
of Mary, far more than of Jesus. The true faith of Rome is on display inthis situation. American Roman Catholic apologists seek to diminish thecentrality of Mary in Roman theology, but here you see how foundationalMary is to the piety of the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church in Romeitself.”3:15 PM – White, once again, says what I am too timid to say. “We arehearing a great deal about the Pope dying in peace. And for what reason?Because he has suffered. You will be able to see, and hear, just how badlyunderstood the gospel is amongst evangelicals and others as you listen tothe commentary on the Pope. The specifics of the gospel will be buriedunder the emotionalism of death. The Pope’s salvation will be guaranteednot because his faith is fixed solely upon the finished work of Christ(which, in light of the devotion to Mary, belief in the Mass, purgatory,etc., it clearly is not), but because of his suffering, his “goodness,” agoodness not determined by reference to God’s holiness, of course, but byreference to other men.

I wonder…how many evangelical leaders will honor God rather than men andsay what needs to be said? “Unless the Pope believed the gospel, he, likeany other person on the planet, died under the wrath of God, outside of theonly way of salvation God has provided in Jesus Christ!” And how many willcave in to the fear of the face of men and do what society demands bycompromising the gospel, showing a greater love of the acclaim of menrather than the approval of God? Remember, friends: Romans 5:1 Therefore,having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our LordJesus Christ.”I agree that this is a time when we will see what evangelical leaders are

made of!To special groups

I offer a warm welcome to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitorspresent at today’s Audience. I greet particularly the members of theServite Secular Institute and the groups from Scotland, Finland, Australiaand the United States of America. Wishing you a pleasant and fruitful stayin Rome, I cordially invoke upon you the joy and peace of our Lord JesusChrist.

I wish you all a happy New Year!I address a special thought to the Patriarch of Cilicia for Armenians, HisBeatitude Nerses Bedros XIX, and to the Bishops accompanying him, themembers of the Lions Clubs of Puglia and the representatives of the“Circolo Didattico di Somma Vesuviana”, gathered here with the Archbishopof Nola.I also greet the priests, seminarians and lay people of the NeocatechumenalWay. Dear friends, I thank you for your generous commitment to the newevangelization. I hope that the reflections of these days will help you todeepen communion in heartfelt compliance, both with the Pastors of thelocal Churches and the competent Institutions of the Holy See. Thus, youwill be able to make a more and more effective contribution to the cause ofthe Gospel.Lastly my thoughts go to the young people, to the sick and to the newly-weds. I entrust you all to the motherly protection of the Virgin Mary.