Moments with John Paul

With a Koala

Praying at the foot of the Papal Altar

Working Late into the Night

Reading the Bible en route

A Rare Image of the Pope Skiing

The Pope & The Queen

27 May 1982, London, England, UK --- During his first apostolic trip to the United Kingdom, Pope John Paul II meets Queen Elizabeth II. --- Image by © Fabian Cevallos/CORBIS SYGMA

John Paul in the Philippines

Images from his 1995 Visit to the Philippines for World Youth Day in Manila.

Pope John Paul II praying in Rizal Park, Manila

Greeting the Pope with Sampaguita Garlands
the Philippine's National Flower

Pope John Paul II arrives in Manila, Philippines
Asia's Largest Catholic Nation

The Pope at the Pontifical & Royal
University of Santo Tomas

John Paul with Filipino Political Leaders

Arriving in Rizal Park to hold the
Biggest Papal Mass
at est. more than 4 million attendees by
Guinness World Records

John Paul aboard the plane on the way
back to the Vatican from his visits
to the Philippines and Japan

...more images coming soon...

John Paul & Mother Teresa

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God
who is sending a love letter to the world. "
--Mother Teresa

"It is not the magnitude of our actions but
the amount of love that is put into them that matters. "
--Mother Teresa

"Sweetest Lord, make me appreciative of the dignity
of my high vocation, and its many responsibilities.
Never permit me to disgrace it by giving way
to coldness, unkindness, or impatience. "
--Mother Teresa

Miracle Worker

Miracle Worker
Pope John Paul II on Fast Track to Sainthood

The Vatican could soon bestow sainthood upon Pope John Paul II. The late pontiff is believed to have had a hand in two divine interventions that led to the miraculous recoveries of terminally ill patients.


The Vatican is currently investigating claims made earlier this month that a man was miraculously cured of lung cancer doctors said was beyond remedy. The man's wife attributes the recovery to an intercession by Pope John Paul II, who died in April 2005.

The apparently wondrous healing of Nicola Grippa of Salerno, Italy is not the first posthumous miracle attributed to Karol Jozef Wojtyla, the former Polish pope. Following a second miracle assigned to the Pole earlier this year, the development could help to fast-track John Paul II's path to sainthood.

The Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints, casually known as the "saint factory," is also looking into claims that John Paul II interceded on behalf of a French nun who was incapacitated by Parkinson's disease. After members of her community prayed for the intercession of the deceased pope -- who during his lifetime had suffered from the same degenerative disease -- the elderly woman experienced a complete and lasting recovery.

Similarly, Grippa's wife Elisabeth says that after she prayed to Pope John Paul II on behalf of her ailing husband, Wojtyla "appeared to her in a dream, holding a small child in his hand and walking on a road of white cobblestones," Mr. Grippa told La Stampa newspaper. The 76-year-old man was diagnosed with cancer three years ago, and doctors told him the tumors, which had spread to his lungs, kidney and spine, were inoperable and would soon kill him.

Prodigious intervention

Archbishop Gerardo Pierro brought the case to the Vatican after he learned of the medically inexplicable recovery from doctors at San Leonardo Hospital in Salerno. "The recovery has lasted," he told Il Mattino newspaper on Nov. 2, and "a year and a half later, the inexplicable remains confirmed."

"It was a prodigious intervention, a miracle of the first order," Pierro said.

Devout Catholics believe that after death, the souls of the deceased are able to hear earthly prayers to God. Their ability to intervene on behalf of requests for healing is seen as proof that the virtuous reside in heaven.

The first step to sainthood is beatification. If a candidate is credited with a miracle after death or found to be a martyr, he is declared blessed and may be venerated. The Vatican must examine every aspect of the candidate's life and teachings to make sure he expressed no heretical views. After beatification, another miracle is needed for canonization and the formal declaration of sainthood.

The process is conducted in secrecy and can take decades or even centuries, although restrictions seem to have loosened in modern times. In his 26-year pontificate, Pope John Paul II canonized 482 saints -- more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the last 500 years, according to the Vatican.

The current pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI, has called for stricter rules in the nomination of saints. At the same time, he has put his predecessor on the fast track to sainthood by waiving the usual five-year waiting period after a candidate's death. The rule was designed to guard against emotionally charged decisions.

Still, the Vatican has yet to provide some important details about the latest miracle -- nothing is known about the name or address of the healed cancer patient and no details have been given about the doctor who was treating the man.

amb/spiegel/vatican/bbc/upi

=========
From : Spiegel Online International

Short Biography

Karol Józef Wojtyła, known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, was born in the Polish town of Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometers from Krakow, on May 18, 1920. He was the youngest of three children born to Karol Wojtyła and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brother Edmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned army officer died in 1941. A sister, Olga, had died before he was born.

He was baptized on June 20, 1920 in the parish church of Wadowice by Fr. Franciszek Zak, made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled in Krakow's Jagiellonian University in 1938 and in a school for drama.

The Nazi occupation forces closed the university in 1939 and young Karol had to work in a quarry (1940-1944) and then in the Solvay chemical factory to earn his living and to avoid being deported to Germany.

In 1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in the clandestine seminary of Krakow, run by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, archbishop of Krakow. At the same time, Karol Wojtyła was one of the pioneers of the "Rhapsodic Theatre," also clandestine.

After the Second World War, he continued his studies in the major seminary of Krakow, once it had re-opened, and in the faculty of theology of the Jagiellonian University. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Sapieha in Krakow on November 1, 1946.

Shortly afterwards, Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome where he worked under the guidance of the French Dominican, Garrigou-Lagrange. He finished his doctorate in theology in 1948 with a thesis on the subject of faith in the works of St. John of the Cross (Doctrina de fide apud Sanctum Ioannem a Cruce). At that time, during his vacations, he exercised 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 Krakow as well as chaplain to university students. This period lasted until 1951 when he again took up his studies in philosophy and theology. In 1953 he defended a thesis on "evaluation of the possibility of founding a Catholic ethic on the ethical system of Max Scheler" at Lublin Catholic University. Later he became professor of moral theology and social ethics in the major seminary of Krakow and in the Faculty of Theology of Lublin.

On July 4, 1958, he was appointed titular bishop of Ombi and auxiliary of Krakow by Pope Pius XII, and was consecrated September 28, 1958, in Wawel Cathedral, Krakow, by Archbishop Eugeniusz Baziak.

On January 13, 1964, he was appointed archbishop of Krakow by Pope Paul VI, who made him a cardinal June 26, 1967 with the title of S. Cesareo in Palatio of the order of deacons, later elevated pro illa vice to the order of priests.

Besides taking part in Vatican Council II (1962-1965) where he made an important contribution to drafting the Constitution Gaudium et spes, Cardinal Wojtyła participated in all the assemblies of the Synod of Bishops.

The Cardinals elected him Pope at the Conclave of 16 October 1978, and he took the name of John Paul II. On 22 October, the Lord's Day, he solemnly inaugurated his Petrine ministry as the 263rd successor to the Apostle. His pontificate, one of the longest in the history of the Church, lasted nearly 27 years.

Driven by his pastoral solicitude for all Churches and by a sense of openness and charity to the entire human race, John Paul II exercised the Petrine ministry with a tireless missionary spirit, dedicating it all his energy. He made 104 pastoral visits outside Italy and 146 within Italy. As bishop of Rome he visited 317 of the city's 333 parishes.

He had more meetings than any of his predecessors with the People of God and the leaders of Nations. More than 17,600,000 pilgrims participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1160), not counting other special audiences and religious ceremonies [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone], and the millions of faithful he met during pastoral visits in Italy and throughout the world. We must also remember the numerous government personalities he encountered during 38 official visits, 738 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State, and 246 audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers.

His love for young people brought him to establish the World Youth Days. The 19 WYDs celebrated during his pontificate brought together millions of young people from all over the world. At the same time his care for the family was expressed in the World Meetings of Families, which he initiated in 1994.

John Paul II successfully encouraged dialogue with the Jews and with the representatives of other religions, whom he several times invited to prayer meetings for peace, especially in Assisi.

Under his guidance the Church prepared herself for the third millennium and celebrated the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 in accordance with the instructions given in the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio adveniente. The Church then faced the new epoch, receiving his instructions in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte, in which he indicated to the faithful their future path.

With the Year of the Redemption, the Marian Year and the Year of the Eucharist, he promoted the spiritual renewal of the Church.

He gave an extraordinary impetus to Canonizations and Beatifications, focusing on countless examples of holiness as an incentive for the people of our time. He celebrated 147 beatification ceremonies during which he proclaimed 1,338 Blesseds; and 51 canonizations for a total of 482 saints. He made Thérèse of the Child Jesus a Doctor of the Church.

He considerably expanded the College of Cardinals, creating 231 Cardinals (plus one in pectore) in 9 consistories. He also called six full meetings of the College of Cardinals.

He organized 15 Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops - six Ordinary General Assemblies (1980, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1994 and 2001), one Extraordinary General Assembly (1985) and eight Special Assemblies (1980,1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998 (2) and 1999).

His most important Documents include 14 Encyclicals, 15 Apostolic Exhortations, 11 Apostolic Constitutions, 45 Apostolic Letters.

He promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the light of Tradition as authoritatively interpreted by the Second Vatican Council. He also reformed the Eastern and Western Codes of Canon Law, created new Institutions and reorganized the Roman Curia.

As a private Doctor he also published five books of his own: "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" (October 1994), "Gift and Mystery, on the fiftieth anniversary of my ordination as priest" (November 1996), "Roman Triptych" poetic meditations (March 2003), "Arise, Let us Be Going" (May 2004) and "Memory and Identity" (February 2005).

In the light of Christ risen from the dead, on 2 April a.D. 2005, at 9.37 p.m., while Saturday was drawing to a close and the Lord's Day was already beginning, the Octave of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, the Church's beloved Pastor, John Paul II, departed this world for the Father.

From that evening until April 8, date of the funeral of the late Pontiff, more than three million pilgrims came to Rome to pay homage to the mortal remains of the Pope. Some of them queued up to 24 hours to enter St. Peter's Basilica.

On April 28, the Holy Father Benedict XVI announced that the normal five-year waiting period before beginning the cause of beatification and canonization would be waived for John Paul II. The cause was officially opened by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, on June 28 2005.

==================
Lifted from :
The Official Website of the Holy See

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of Pope John Paul II is intended as an act of homage to the central mystery of Christianity, the Redemption.

And so the main representation is a cross, whose form, however, does not correspond to the customary heraldic model. The reason for the unusual placement of the vertical section of the cross is readily apparent if one considers the second object inserted in the coat of arms the large and majestic capital M. This recalls the presence of Mary beneath the cross and her exceptional participation in the Redemption.

The great devotion of the Holy Father to the Virgin Mary is manifested in this manner, as it was also expressed in his motto as Cardinal Wojtyla: TOTUS TUUS (All yours). Nor can one forget that within the confines of the ecclesiastical province of Krakow, there is situated the celebrated Marian shrine of Czestochowa, where the Polish people for centuries fostered their filial devotion to the Mother of God.

=============
Description from :
The Official Website of The Holy See

Approved Prayer for Intercession

O Holy Trinity,
we thank you for having given to the Church
Pope John Paul II,
and for having made him shine with your fatherly tenderness,
the glory of the Cross of Christ and the splendour of the Spirit of love

He, trusting completely in your infinite mercy
and in the maternal intercession of Mary, has shown himself
in the likeness of Jesus the Good Shepherd
and has pointed out to us holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.

Grant us, through his intercession,
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.

---

Taken from:
L'Osservatore Romano
Weekly Edition in English
6 July 2005, page 9

L'Osservatore Romano is the newspaper of the Holy See.
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Pope John Paul II declared Venerable

Vatican City, Dec 19, 2009 / 11:28 am (CNA).- Pope Benedict XVI has signed a decree recognizing the late Pope John Paul II's life of “heroic virtue.” With his signature, Benedict XVI throws the door wide open to the beatification of the much-loved Polish Pontiff and gives him the title "Venerable."

On Saturday morning, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints led by Archbishop Angelo Amato met with Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate their 40th anniversary as a dicastery of the Holy See and to present decrees for papal approval. Pope John Paul II's name was among the Congregation's nominations for those possessing “heroic virtue.”

The next step towards canonization of John Paul II is a second decree to be signed by the Pope that attributes a miracle to him. It is thought that this miracle will be one that has already taken place but has not yet been officially recognized. The miracle involves a French nun who was cured of Parkinson´s disease through John Paul II's intercession.

Following the approval of his first miracle, Venerable Karol Woytilya would be eligible for beatification, and pending a second miracle, he could be declared a saint.

The Vatican has processed his case in record time. Since the Pontiff´s death, less than five years have passed. Five years is the normal amount of time that must go by before the Holy See can begin the investigation process. In this case, Pope Benedict made an exception just a little over a month after John Paul II's death in March of 2005.

Among other documents signed by Benedict XVI on Saturday morning were decrees authenticating the heroic virtue of Pope Pius XII, Pontiff during World War II; the martyrdom of Jerzy Popiełuszko, a Polish priest killed in 1984, and a second miracle attributed to Bless Mary McKillop, who will now become Australia's first saint.