Be Not Afraid: The Memorial Feast of Blessed John Paul II Reignites the Cry of the Faithful, Santo Subito!

10/22/2012

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and lived in accordance with the moral understanding of our obligation to do what is right.

He also exposed what he called in his monumental Encyclical, The Gospel of Life a "counterfeit notion of freedom" as a raw power over others. This is the root of the Culture of Death. And, as he so aptly proclaimed, procured abortion is its cutting edge.

He countered a false notion of the autonomy of the individual as the measure of a "freedom" to do whatever one wants by insisting that the path to human flourishing is communion and solidarity. He repeatedly reminded us that true freedom must be exercised with reference choosing what is true - and what is good - lest it become a counterfeit, an abuse of freedom, leading to the slavery of sin.

He proclaimed a new and true humanism, reaffirming that we were created in the Image of God and called to love as God loved. We are being re-created, in Jesus Christ. We LoveIncarante in Jesus Christ in whom the Father is revealed and man is revealed in his most high calling.

He insisted that through properly applying the treasury of the authentic social teaching of the Catholic Church - in our relationships with one another, in our families, in our societies, our nations and in the global community - authentic justice and freedom can actually be achieved.

Entrusted for twenty six years with serving the Church and the world from the Chair of Peter, Blessed John Paul II was a prophetic Pope in both word and deed. From his first encyclical letter entitled "The Redeemer of Man" (Redemptor Hominis) to his last, the "Church of the Eucharist" (Ecclesia de Eucharistia) he proclaimed that the truth is, as he wrote in his profound Encyclical Letter on the Moral Life, a "Splendor". (Veritatis Splendor) In that letter on the Moral life, he laid the groundwork for what continues in a renewal of Moral Theology.

He called for reconciliation among separated Christians in his powerful encyclical letter "May They Be One" (Ut Unum Sint) and proposed for a model of full communion with the Church which is beginning to be implemented under Pope Benedict XVI - with the creation of Anglican Ordinariates as an example.

With deep love for the "Light of the East" (Orientale Lumen) he called Eastern and Western Christianity to rediscover their dependence upon one another in order that the entire Body of Christ might once again breathe with "two lungs" and present the whole Jesus Christ to a world that needs to be liberated.

On April 2, 2005 at 9:37 p.m. this dearly beloved Pope, beloved by the Christian faithful, died in the Lord while the whole world watched, prayed and wept. Almost immediately upon his passing throngs of the faithful gathered in St Peters Square and began a chant which continues in the hearts of millions throughout the world "Santo Subito", Sainthood Now!

Pope Benedict XVI signed a decree recognizing the late Pope John Paul II's life of "heroic virtue" on December 19, 2009 and the late Pope was given the title of "Venerable." In April of 2009 Pope Benedict XVI, told Pilgrims gathered in Rome "With you, I pray for the gift of beatification". That prayer has now been answered.

Friday, January 14, 2011 the Holy See released the "Decree for the Beatification of the Servant of God John Paul II". Sunday, January 16, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI, announced "On 1 May I will have the joy of proclaiming the Venerable Pope John Paul II, my predecessor, as a blessed. The date chosen is very significant because it will, in fact, be the second Sunday of Easter which he himself dedicated to Divine Mercy and on the eve of which his earthly life came to an end. Those who knew him, those who respected and loved him cannot but share in the Church's joy at this event."

In the last ten centuries of Church history no Pope has beatified his predecessor. From the beginning of Pope Benedict's pontificate it has been clear that he longed for this day. ...
- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Blessed John Paul II, Gospel of Life, Spendor of Truth, Beatification, canonization, John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, Memorial Feast of John Paul II, Deacon Keith Fournier

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1 - 2 of 2 Comments

KarlVDH
7 months ago
Janet, with all due respect, John Paul II was a MAN. he was flawed, as we all are. He had his weaknesses and made his mistakes. AS DID all other Popes who preceded him. Based on the standard you set forth. St. Peter himself was a miserable failure.
John Paul II WAS the greatest pontiff of our lifetimes, and IS a saint... and does deserve the title NOT because he was perfect- be sure of this: the only perfect people are in Heaven. He deserves it becaause he was great, inspite of his flaws, weaknesses and human frailty Yes indeed, this wasn't just another Pope. This was John Paul the Great, and he's a Saint just waiting to be formally recognized.
Janet O'Connor
7 months ago
Joanna, I hate to have to say this to you and others who talk like you do on the subject of this particular person. Perhaps you should read "Man Of the Century" that was published in the mid nineties. While John Paul II was a good Pope, I do not agree that he should be called "the Great" UNLESS Pope Benedict himself decrees this. In the whole history of the Church only 3 Popes were called that Leo, Gregory and Nicholas. Certainly he did a lot a good things in the Church but you also have to face the sad facts of what even George Weigel called his Many Mistakes and outright Failures. Vatican Finances. Coddling certain Dictators, Making more Liturgical Abuses like female servers, Angering the Orthodox and worst of all SEX ABUSE. He along with Mother Teresa and John Hardon all thought this was not really all that bad, yet it is never brought up. Kissing a Koran asking John the Baptist to protect Islam (what kind of message does that send?) John Paul I to me is the real "John Paul the Great" Joanna.

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