October 22: Feast of St. John Paul II

In a packed St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Divine Mercy Sunday in 2014, Pope Francis officially declared former pontiffs John Paul II and John XXIII as Saints. Today the Universal Church celebrates the Feastday of St. John Paul II. He is without a doubt one of the most well-known pontiffs in history, and is most remembered for his charismatic nature, his love of youth, and his world travels, along with his role in the fall of communism in Europe during his 27-year papacy. The cherished “Polish Pope” died in 2005; his 2011 beatification was one of the quickest in recent Church history, and he was the first Pope to be beatified by his immediate successor.

At the time of the canonization of Pope John Paul II, Pope Francis thanked God for the great “gift” of the Saints for the Church and for the world, saying of John Paul II specifically that “the Church is grateful for his untiring service, his spiritual guidance, and for his extraordinary testimony of holiness.”

George Weigel, Pope John Paul II’s official biographer, has written: “He’s the exemplar of the fact that a life wholly dedicated to Jesus Christ and the Gospel is the most exciting human life possible. This man lived a life of such extraordinary drama that no Hollywood scriptwriter would dare come up with such a storyline.”

Let us pray. “Lord God, we pray that you might stir up in us that fire of charity with which St. John Paul served your people. Aided by your grace, he gave himself unceasingly to your Church. May we imitate his good example now and always. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

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