Pope Saint John Paul II

An image of then Bishop Karol Wojtyla, later known as Pope John Paul II. Today, we commemorate the 10th year of his death.

Pope Saint John Paul the Great does AD ORIENTEM

Pope Saint John Paul II had no problem with Mass facing the Lord.  

This was at the confession of St. Stanislaus in the Royal Archcathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus on Wawel Hill during his pilgrimage to Poland in 1999.

If may problema ang pari sa ad orientem worship, is he greater than the Pope?

Miracle attributed to Paul VI approved!

Don't tell me I told you so?

Didn't I break the news?

It was in 2012 when I heard the news that the process for the pope's beatification was being fast-tracked, no!  Express Lane tracked!  And a few weeks ago, I broke the news that Paul VI is set to be beatified with word coming out of Rome that a miracle has been approved with no scientific explanation for the inexplicable healing of a fetus!   Yes, an unborn boy!


***
From this source.

Giovanni Battista Montini's beatification is near: this morning cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints unanimously approved the miracle attributed to the intercession of the Italian Pope from Brescia, who died in August 1978. The year which marked the canonization of two Popes – John XXIII and John Paul II – will also be the year of Paul VI’s beatification. In the next few days Pope Francis will be promulgating the decree on the miracle attributed to the late Pope and the date suggested for the actual beatification is 19 October. The beatification is expected to take place in Rome on the occasion of the concluding ceremony of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family: [I told you so!]  it was Paul VI himself who established the Synod in September 1965 in response to a request made by the Council fathers. It should be noted that next August will mark the 50th anniversary of the publication of Paul VI’s first big encyclical, the “Ecclesiam Suam”, which he wrote and edited entirely by himself.

The miracle attributed to the intercession of Paul VI was witnessed in the United States in 2001. It involved the healing of an unborn child, which was found to have serious problems and a high risk of brain damage: the foetus’ bladder was damaged and doctors reported ascites (presence of liquid in the abdomen) and anhydramnios (absence of fluid in the amniotic sac). All attempts to correct the problem proved futile and in the end the doctors said the child would either die in the womb or it would be born with severe renal impairment. Abortion was offered as an option but the mother refused. Instead, she took the advice given to her by a nun who was a friend of the family and had met Montini: she decided to pray for Paul VI’s intercession using a fragment of the Pope’s vestments which the nun had given her.  [And some people just keep relics for themselves, even using it for scrupulous reasons, or for bragging rights!]

Ten weeks later the results of the medical tests showed a substantial improvement in the child’s health and it was born by Caesarean section in the 39th week of pregnancy. The case was presented to the former Postulator of the Cause, the Jesuit Paolo Molinari – who passed away last week - in Rome. Faith weekly Credere revealed that the diocesan inquiry was launched in 2003 and all witnesses agree that the case in question cannot be explained scientifically.

The child has made it to thirteen and his health is constantly monitored to ensure that his psychophysical state is normal. Doctors are especially keeping an eye on the child’s renal function. On 12 December last year the medical consultation of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints headed by Professor Patrizio Polisca, confirmed the impossibility of explaining the healing and the dicastery’s theologians gave their approval last 18 February. Benedict XVI promulgated Paul VI’s heroic virtues on 20 December 2012.


***

Someone said "There is a rush to canonize these Vatican II popes!  The pope is in fact canonizing Vatican II!"

Wha???

So what about Paul's "Humanae Vitae"?  Nada?

How about Pius XII?

A miracle is being investigated.  What is so amazing about this is it involved not just Pius XII, but also John Paul II!

Read it here.

Reliquaries containing the relics of the two new saint-popes

April 2 is the feast of two saints!

Today is the feast of the boy martyr from the Visayas, the missionary catechist, St. Pedro Calungsod, my namesake.

I still prefer this image of the saint.  It shows the instrument of his glorification / martyrdom, much like how our Lord chose to have the five wounds remain on His Body after the Resurrection.  This was how martyrs are represented in Christian iconography.

Look near the feet of the image.  See the blood?

And it was in 2005 that one of my fave pope's went to his eternal reward.

If you are not into superheroes, you wouldn't understand this meme.

But just the same, saints are superheroes, and St. John Paul is one!

ORA PRO NOBIS DEO!!!

An atheist helps the Church in declaring new saints!

Meet Dr. Jacalyn Duffin, MD, an atheist who wrote two books about medical miracles brought about by candidates to sainthood. Her investigations helped canonized them.

In a Wikipedia entry:

"Upon her return to Canada, Duffin settled in Ottawa where she took on a contract to review a set of slides, which she assumed were to be used in a malpractice suit. She was given no information about the patient, but identified the young woman as suffering from acute myeloblastic leukemia, “the most aggressive leukemia known.” As the slides were from some 5+ years earlier, she assumed the patient as deceased, as that form of leukemia kills usually within two years. Instead, she found that the patient had, after a relapse, gone into remission and was doing well some five years on. Duffin's testimony was to be used by the Vatican to determine whether Marie-Marguerite d'Youville (1701 – 1771) had performed a miracle and was worthy of canonization. According to Duffin, “They never asked me to say this was a miracle. They wanted to know if I had a scientific explanation for why this patient was still alive. I realized they weren’t asking me to endorse their beliefs. They didn’t care if I was a believer or not, they cared about the science"

You can read her own account of that miracle, how she judged the case only through the lens of a microscope.   She has also written two books about the medical miracles documented in the different canonizations.

She remains an atheist. Now that is one miracle let us hope for!

Lorenzo Ruiz, back in 1981...

Pope John Paul II visited the Philippines for his first papal visit from February 17 to 21.  The Holy Father visited several places then around the country, like Manila, Baguio, Cebu, Bacolod, Davao...(I might have missed another one).

But the highlight of this is the beatification of my dear lolo, Lorenzo Ruiz and his companion martyrs in Luneta Park on February 18, 1981!

This statue which still stands on Luneta Park is a gift of the Holy Father to the Filipino people on the occasion of the beatification of Lolo Lorenzo, the first beatification outside the Vatican.

And in case you didn't know, that tree behind the statue is the tree planted by Paul VI when he visited the country.

It has been 33 years since that day!

And according to tradition, Lolo Lorenzo might have been martyred at the age of 37.

The photo above is from this blog, where you can also read about the historic documentation of the martyrdom.

You can also grab a copy of  “Lorenzo de Manila, the Protomartyr of the Philippines and His Companions,” by Fr. Fidel Villaroel, OP, the prolific historian-saint maker, credited for the beatification and canonization of Lorenzo and his 15 companion martyrs.  The book is available via the UST Press.

Below is a photo essay of that historic visit to the country.  I still have vivid memories of that trip.  :)

BREAKING NEWS! John Paul II and John XXIII to be canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday

On the Twitter page of Catholic News Service.

***

Catholic News Svc ‏@CatholicNewsSvc 51m
The date for canonization -- April 27, 2014 -- is Divine Mercy Sunday, an observance ordered by JPII & important theme for Pope Francis

Catholic News Svc ‏@CatholicNewsSvc 53m
Those who are not cardinals have been asked to leave the room where the consistory took place.

Catholic News Svc ‏@CatholicNewsSvc 54m
April 27 is canonization date for John Paul II, John XXIII

Catholic News Svc ‏@CatholicNewsSvc 59m
In Latin, Cardinal Amato asks Pope Francis to solemn proclaim the holiness of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII

Catholic News Svc ‏@CatholicNewsSvc 1h
Popes John XXIII, John Paul II were servants peace, Cardinal Amato says

Catholic News Svc ‏@CatholicNewsSvc 1h
Cardinal Amato asks pope to approve canonizations; says both John Paul II, John XXIII dedicated their lives completely to proclaiming Gospel
Expand
 Catholic News Svc ‏@CatholicNewsSvc 1h
We hope to have soon the official announcement of the date for the canonization of Blessed John XXIII, John Paul II

Catholic News Svc ‏@CatholicNewsSvc 1h
#PopeFrancis is about to begin consistory where cardinals support canonization of Blessed John Paul II, John XXIII

***

No word yet as to who will be the new cardinals or if there would be any to be created.

Real reason why Pope Francis does not want to stay at the Papal apartments.

And be sure to NOT catch this at your favorite media outlet like the MSM in the US and Europe.

And God's gift to journalism, Rappler, who I fervently hope, continue to bleed out money...

***

"I chose to live [in Santa Marta], in Room 201, because when I took possession of the papal apartment, inside myself I distinctly heard a ‘no.’ The papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace is not luxurious. It is old, tastefully decorated and large, but not luxurious.

But in the end it is like an inverted funnel. It is big and spacious, but the entrance is really tight. People can come only in dribs and drabs, and I cannot live without people. I need to live my life with others.”

— Pope Francis on why he is not living in the Papal Apartment

***

Remember, the media took a lot of jab against the "luxurious and pompous" papal apartment that Benedict XVI chose to live at.

They forgot to mention that the predecessors of Francis all lived there including Blessed John Paul II and Blessed John XXIII.

Yet they called those not of Francis' mold as too "lavish".

In the age of Information Technology, dear media people, we can't fooled.

A saint with a saint

Blessed John XXIII praying before the body of St. Pius X before the relics' translation from Venice to Rome.

Wrong way to illustrate John Paul II

Or any blessed/saint pope for that matter!

Here is how Pope St. Pius X is represented

Pope Pius X is holding a book here.  My guess is this is his Catechism, which like the Baltimore Catechism is still a very good Catechism.  Click here for a copy.

See here?

St. Pius X is wearing the red cape but no miter and no ferula.

Why?

Because the pope here is not vested for Mass!


Look at what a friend found, a statue of the soon-to-be St. John Paul II at the Blessed John Paul II parish in Eastwood, Libis, Quezon City.

Notice something?

Yup.

The papal ferula and miter is on the image!

Yet!

The pope is not vested for Mass.

FYI, the papal cape is NOT a liturgical vestment!

Look at how the red cape is worn by the pope.

Lesson?

Just Google.

Or be humble enough to ask if you don't know or are not sure.


If I were to illustrate St. John Paul II, I'll have him hold a copy of Evangelium Vitae on his left hand and would have young people standing next or kneeling beside him with his hand raised like that of a teacher.

Why?

Those are just two of his greatest legacy.  Maybe a little edit to this and we got it right.  :)

You illustrate a saint with people or things associated with him.

With Pope John XXIII, have him hold a copy of the Apostolic Constitution Humanae Salutis.  FYI, that declared the convening of the Second Vatican Council.

He holds a scroll with his famous quote about the need to call the Vatican Council II "We are not on earth to guard a museum, but to tend a blooming garden full of life."

Any artist out there?  :)

PS:  I am still looking for a good statue of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and St. Pedro Calungsod highlighting their martyrdom.

Dissecting John XXIII and John Paul II

from this website

***

On the same day the Vatican released Pope Francis' first encyclical Lumen Fidei ("the light of faith"), the Vatican also announced that Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II would be canonized by the end of the year. [The report says anytime this year, not by the "end of the year".] A second miracle was approved for the canonization of John Paul II, but for John XXIII, Pope Francis chose to wave the requirement of a second miracle. [...........] We asked our Aleteia Experts what they thought about the news.


Held in High Regard

"John XXIII and John Paul II exemplified the same thing--a creative, faithful response to the grievous challenges faced by the Church," Catholic author John Zmirak told Aletiea, "one that rebukes modernity's mistakes but also learns from it. They avoided both relativism and rigidity, walking a tightrope between opposing errors. That's what the Church always strives to do."

Fr. Michael Heintz points to their leadership during trying times. "[B]oth led the Church on earth during truly dramatic days: John XXIII intervened, for example, during the Cuban Missile Crisis and shepherded the People of God through the beginnings of the 1960s ferment. John Paul II was (we now know more clearly than ever) instrumental in dismantling the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe and he did so through both cagey diplomacy and valiant moral courage and witness -- and without ever advocating violence." [unlike Liberation Theology!]

"[John Paul II's] commitment to the cause of life was not an abstraction," Fr Frank Pavone, director of Priests for Life, told Aleteia. "It was palpable. What we read in the encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), which he considered to be one of the most important of his writings, came to life in meetings with him."

"It was a conviction and a passion that combined mercy and strength, the willingness to confront secular power and the ability to pick up the pieces of broken lives. Whether speaking with him about the help that has to be given to those who have had abortions, or the need to declare that laws allowing abortion are in fact invalid as laws, he was equally strong, and it was clear that what he was saying was coming from his very being, not just from an intellectual grasp of the issues."

Our experts acknowledged that there were problems in the Church during their pontificates, but agreed they thought John XXIII and John Paul II responded as best they could.

"The sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church did take place while these two men were 'in charge' of the Church universal so they should bear some responsibility. Like all people, saints included, the standard is not perfection, but faithfulness," Allan Wright, Academic Dean of Evangelization for the Diocese of Paterson, NJ, told Aleteia. "In looking at the early church we read of scandal with almost every Christian community St. Paul writes too. He wrote to them in order to clarify what the teaching of Christ is, theology, is and then to explain how one ought to act, morality. Pope John XXIII and John Paul II did the same."

Anthony Esolen, literature professor at Providence College, thinks the blame for some of the problems should be spread throughout the episcopacy. "I'm not saying that John Paul II could not have acted more swiftly and decisively. He trusted his bishops too much -- the very same bishops who typically griped at him behind his back for supposedly being authoritarian."  [Imagine if John Paul was not THAT authoritarian and the Holy Father relegated much of the governance to the COLLEGIALITY of the bishops.  Imagine what would have happened!  Oh... It already did.]

Catholic writer and lecturer James Likoudis also placed some of the blame on the episcopacy in general. "Too often ignored was the failure of collegiality during the turbulent post-conciliar disorders as too many Bishops ignored the tidal wave of rebellion within the Church and the onslaught of those who had made shipwreck of the faith." [Many bishops were even guilty of starting the rebellion or were even to naive or don't care enough to quash the rebellion.  Ever heard of what was started in Bukidnon?  Yup.  Then Bishop Gaudencio Rosales gave the renegade liturgist a haven to start his inculturation brouhaha.  He was not given a place in Manila so he started a School of Liturgy in the mountains!  Just one of those kind of things back in the 70s and 80s.]  He also says that "a flood of documents from the Popes of the 20th century, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) and other Roman Congregations cannot be ignored in the effort to correct trendy theologians who did their part to eliminate the remnants of Western Christendom."  ["And the word was printed on paper...and started gathering dust." so goes a quote in Vatican circles.  Have you ever heard of a study group among seminarians and even among the laity about Evangelium Vitae?  Nah.  How about Redemptionis Sacramentum and Summorum Pontificum among seminarians, liturgists and laity.  Nah.  Only Chupungcan books are discussed.  Bah!]


Liberal, Conservative, or Neither?

Though some observers portray John XXIII as more of a "liberal" and John Paul II as more of a "conservative", all of our experts rejected the categories being applied to them.  [Personally, I have adjectives more apt for both John and John Paul but I'd kept it to myself.  ;)  They are saints.  Let's keep it that way.]

"It's my view that the terms "liberal" and "conservative" are not very helpful or constructive categories for giving an overall assessment of either pope, or any pope, for that matter," [I agree!] Paul Gondrea, professor of moral theology at Providence College, told Aleteia. "These terms are too often overladen with political overtones, or too often mark attempts to fit the Holy Father in a box, to serve in saying something instructive of either Holy Father. And this is because Catholic doctrine itself is neither 'liberal' or 'conservative.'"

He continued: "In truth, as Catholic doctrine itself is much grander than any category we can try and squeeze it in, so too is either Pope John XXIII or Pope John Paul II, whose pontificates at all points sought to uphold Catholic, too large to have a cheap label like 'liberal' or 'conservative' attached to him."

Joseph Pearce, Writer-in-Residence and Professor of Humanities at Thomas More College, agrees. "The terms 'liberal' and 'conservative' are not applicable to either of these popes. Catholics, including popes, are either orthodox or heterodox. Both of these popes were resplendently orthodox and, what is more, practiced the Faith that they preached." [Secret SSPX supporter says...I agree.  But the I am pretty sure some adherents of the SSPX beg to differ.  I guess that priest-blogger who branded me "secret SSPX supporter" and that lawyer who called me "pseudo-Catholic" are they themselves guilty of giving me, as Prof. Gondrea said "cheap labels" to box someone based on his blog posts.  Little do they know that I know more of them than they of me.  But!  But!  I do not brand them as ultra-liberal, defender of the universe...er...the Faith, Knight of the Round Table....er....whatever.  Why can't we just be friends, huh?  What's up with you?  Scared of a little competition called "number of hits", huh?  What am I doing to you?  I do nothing to you, you get mad.  I do something to you, you get mad. What now. I do something, or do nothing or I get mad, huh?   :D]

Esolen points out that both taught the same faith. "Both Popes were profoundly orthodox; on no important doctrinal or moral issue was there a dime's worth of difference between them."
[Honestly, I think that blogger needs some refresher course in Theology.  Seriously.]

Fond Memories

"I remember seeing Pope John Paul II at Madison Square Garden," Zmirak told Aleteia. "Encountering the man helped me shuck off the modernist nonsense my religion teachers had been trying to fill my head with. He was not the ignorant Polish reactionary peasant they taught us about."  [But Modernism is not a nonsense, IMHO.]

Gondreau says he was also impacted by John Paul II as a young man. "I recall being a freshman in highschool when John Paul II was elected pope. There was such excitement and wonder at the election of the first non-Italian pope in centuries. And immediately John Paul II captured the hearts and admiration of the entire world. [Like the euphoria brought by the election of Francis to the See of Peter.] It didn't hurt that he quickly and very ambitiously set out to visit his flock around the globe. There was such great hope and such great optimism. [...] It was palpable even to this American high schooler."

Pearce, a convert to the faith, talks about how John Paul II impacted his new faith: "I first saw him during a general audience in Rome in 1990, only a year or so after my reception into the Church, and was greatly edified by my attendance at World Youth Day in Poland in the following year. I also recall being part of a Corpus Christi procession in Rome in around 1995 and attended World Youth Day in Rome in 2000.

"The last time I saw John Paul II in the flesh was at the canonization of Gianna Beretta Molla and several other saints in 2004. His example during the early years of his papacy, especially in his fight on behalf of those enslaved by the secular fundamentalist regimes in eastern Europe, was very important to my own conversion to Catholicism in 1989. Like so many others, I owe a great deal to JPII."

Wright was encouraged by John Paul II's visits to the US. "I was present during all the World Youth Day festivities in Denver, Co in 1993 which was life changing," he told Aleteia, "yet the Mass Pope John Paul II celebrated on Oct 7th, 1995 at Central Park in New York City was much more intimate. Perhaps it was because I went by myself and not in a group that I felt it was intimate in the midst of 125,000 people.

"He spoke more as a grandfather than as a Pope. He concluded the Mass with these words. 'I say to you today, always be brave. Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid,' Pope John Paul II then said with a slight smile, 'Do not be afraid. God is with you. Do not be afraid to search for God always. Then you will truly be the land of the free and the home of the brave.'"


A Unique Time in Church History?

While Zmirak doesn't dispute the holines of John XXIII or John Paul II, he thinks "the process of canonization was unduly rushed": [Same here!]  "We have had a good run of holy popes. But we are also rushing to judgment, and allowing sentiment to overpower the Church's traditional process of discernment. Here's a good rule: don't canonize anyone (except perhaps a martyr) whom anyone living has fond memories of, and don't let the men a pope appointed handle his canonization cause."  [Fair enough!]

Fr John McCloskey, a Research Fellow of the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington DC, is convinced the Church has been in a special period of her history for Popes. "Speaking as a Church historian, I say with complete confidence that starting with Pope Pius XII up to our present pope we are in the greatest epoch of popes in history above all due to their Holiness."  [Not during Pius IX???]

Esolen goes even further. "We have not had a bad man for Pope since the Council of Trent. We have had plenty of bad presidents, kings, queens, premiers, first citizens, party chairmen, and other addled heads of state, but not one bad Pope in about 500 years."

***

I say this:

Both were noted for their warm personality and holiness, no doubt about it.

Both have their fair share of critics who questioned the way they governed the Church.

Both have their fair share of admirers of how they ushered in a new era into the Church:  John for calling Vatican II, the PASTORAL Council that reshaped the Church, DRAMATICALLY and John Paul, who placed the Church into an ever more influential role in the political and social life of the WHOLE WORLD.

But again, canonizations are about the person's holiness.

A bad tempered person might be martyred for the Faith and he can be canonized, but is he a role model for temperance?  I don't think so.

These two popes may have had issues not resolved or not handled well during their papacies but their holiness, proven by the miracles that happened due to their intercessions, John during his cause for beatification, John Paul, twice; proves that they have received their eternal reward.  They are now enjoying the Beatific Vision, interceding for us to the Father.

May the two popes pray for the cleansing of the Church of the "filth" inflicting Her.

Amen.

Ora pro nobis!

Pope Francis announces the canonization of Bl. John Paul II!

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has confirmed that both Blessed Pope John Paul II and Blessed John XXIII will be canonized and possibly at the same time, although a date has yet to be set for the canonizations.  [How about Bl. Pius IX???]

Reading from a statement, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told reporters today that Pope Francis had approved a decree on a miracle attributed to John Paul II’s intercession.

He also said the Holy Father had approved a “favorable vote,” taken by a commission of cardinals and bishops, “on the canonization of Blessed Pope John XXIII.”

The commission has decided to “convoke a consistory” so that both canonizations can take place at the same time, but it’s not clear exactly when, as Pope Francis wants to hear the opinions of cardinals first.

“No date has been set,” Father Lombardi said, “but it is very likely that there will be one canonization ceremony before the end of the year.”

Father Lombardi said that in the case of John XXIII, Pope Francis has agreed to skip the usual second miracle required for canonization as a second miracle attributed to his intercession has not been forthcoming. [OMG!!!!  I....I....What....Oh God!....] Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (1904-1963) was elected Pope John XXIII in 1958.

The announcement of the papal canonizations was just part of a long list of decrees issued today for sainthood causes.

Among them was a decree approving a miracle needed for the beatification of Father Alvaro del Portillo y Diez de Sollano (1914-1994) who succeeded St. Josemaria Escriva as bishop and prelate of Opus Dei.

Second JPII Miracle
Concerning the miracle attributed to John Paul II’s intercession, the Vatican has yet to release details, but it is understood to concern the healing of a severely ill woman from Costa Rica.

Spanish newspaper La Razon has identified her as Floribeth Mora, a 50-year-old law student. She suffered from a cerebral aneurism that was inexplicably cured on May 1, 2011 — the very day of John Paul’s beatification. Her family prayed for her at the time and she had been given only a month to live.

Her doctor, Dr. Alejandro Vargas, told La Razon that the disappearance of the aneurism “surprised me a lot” and that he couldn’t explain it “based on science.” Some reports say the exact details of the miracle will “amaze the world” and are to be revealed later today by Costa Rican doctors.
News of the miracle has already spread to Floribeth’s hometown of La Union, attracting a large number of visitors from all over Costa Rica. So many have been arriving, La Razon reports, that Floribeth left the town to seek refuge at her mother’s house in San Jose.

On July 1, 2011, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, John Paul II’s former private secretary, sent a relic of John Paul II to Costa Rica. Floribeth was able to see the relic and thank John Paul II, two months after her miraculous cure.

A neighbor told the Spanish-language daily: “The whole neighborhood is very happy because we always believed in John Paul II, you can see the nobility in his face.”

The first miracle attributed to John Paul II’s intercession and which led to his beatification in 2011 concerned Sister Marie Simon Pierre, whose recovery from Parkinson’s disease could not be explained by a Vatican panel of medical experts.

‘Santo Subito!’
John Paul II’s beatification occurred after Benedict XVI dispensed with the traditional five-year waiting period, permitting the beatification process to begin weeks after his April 2, 2005, death.

The decision was taken after chants of “Santo Subito!” (“Sainthood Now”), which erupted during John Paul’s funeral.  [That was how saints were made back in the early days of the Church, back when there was no formal declaration or formal investigation.]

Writing in the July 6 edition of L’Osservatore Romano, Cardinal Dziwisz said he spent “almost 40 years next to a saint, working by his side in Krakow and the Vatican.”

“[People] asked me a few times when would John Paul II become a saint,” he said. “I think he has been one since his youth. Karol Wojtyla was a normal guy, sharp and sensitive, full of energy and zest for life. But from the beginning, in him was something ‘more.’”

Paying tribute to his holiness, the Polish cardinal reflected on how difficult it was at John Paul II’s funeral for him to cover the former Pope’s face with a cloth — a face that was “so close, so friendly, so human.”

“Today,” he said, “I am delighted by the fact that from now on, the whole Church will establish the face of a new saint, St. John Paul II.”

In an interview in the same issue, Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, said both John Paul II and John XXIII were “united by the same pastoral concern for the Church.”

Both popes, he said, “have two common points of reference: the Council as a Gospel event of love and peace, and the Church as a generous and thoughtful mother, who is close to every human being, and gives comfort, help, support and hope.”

But some, including a few Vatican officials, are concerned that the Vatican is being too hasty with John Paul II’s canonization, coming less than a decade after his death. An unnamed Vatican official criticized the poor governance that took place under John Paul II, and especially during his final years, while other critics point to many deep-seated problems including clerical sex abuse scandals took place during his pontificate.  [Yeah.  I have to agree with that.  Most of the curial cardinals were fighting for who gets the "ear" of John Paul in decisions since the globe-trotting pope was busy abroad most of the time.  Benedict XVI started the change by staying most of the time in the Vatican governing rather than travelling.  John Paul's legacy will be tainted with the poor handling of the Church in the various scandals She faced during his pontificate.  Calling a spade a spade.  John Paul was not an excellent administrator.]

Careful Canonical Process
Cardinal Amato, however, stressed that “all the canonical procedures desired by John Paul II during his pontificate have been followed carefully, without haste and superficiality.” He also recalled St. Anthony of Padua was canonized by Gregory IX on May 30, 1232, less than a year after his death, which took place on June 13, 1231.  [St. Peter Martyr was the one who had the fastest canonization process.  Hmm...if they were careful for the cause of John Paul II, why to super duper haste with John XXIII?]

Also writing in the Vatican paper was Msgr. Loris Capovilla, John XXIII’s former private secretary, who paid tribute to his former superior as a man whose philosophy was one of “simplicity and prudence.”

“It is difficult for me to express in words the tumult of feelings in me caused by this splendid decision of Pope Francis to join the canonization of two popes whose holiness I have personally experienced,” he said.

He recalled anecdotally praying with John Paul II soon after his election, and sharing with the Pope his moments of suffering, also alongside John XXIII.

John Paul II replied to Msgr. Capovilla, “We all have to suffer. And Pope John, being a prophet, had to suffer for his faith in Christ. But sooner or later, they’ll realize it: He was a saint.”


***

Canonizations are a pope's infallible act to declare dead person is already in Heaven and can be venerated in all altars throughout the Catholic world.

John Paul's case?  If there was a proven miracle, I personally have no problems with that.

But with John XXIII's?

There was no reported miracle!

Is Pope Francis "enjoying" much of the plenitude of his Petrine office?

If that be the case...

Why not beatify these two other Blessed Popes?

Blessed Innocent XI

Blessed Pius IX

Does it mean just because you are the Supreme Leader makes you immune to the laws you are supposed to uphold and protect?

Well...

What are your thoughts?

John Paul II might be canonized in December!

from Fox News

***


A Vatican official says Pope John Paul II has cleared the final obstacle before being made a saint.

The ANSA news agency said a commission of cardinals and bishops met Tuesday to consider the case and signed off on it, leaving only Pope Francis to approve it. A Vatican official confirmed that the decision had been taken some time back and that Tuesday's meeting was essentially a formality.

One possible canonization date is Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a major feast day for the Catholic Church. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because canonization cases are covered by pontifical secret, confirmed reports in La Stampa newspaper that John Paul could be canonized together with Pope John XXIII, who called the Second Vatican Council.  [John XXIII had a miracle?]


***

Hmmm... anti-Vatican II peeps would be smelling a conspiracy about this for fast tracking the cause of two popes closely associated with the controversial council.

Makes you wonder why the cause of Pius XII is not even moving.

For all I have read about the great pope, he should have been beatified first than John XXIII, in all honesty.

But!

There goes the historical revisionists who claim Pius XII did nothing during the war, blah, blah and more blah.

Ask yourselves.

Why would the prime minister of Israel hail Pius XII's effort to save the Jews during the war, after the pontiff's death?

And then suddenly, you have legend and myth writers, who were not even born yet when Pius XII reigned claiming otherwise.

Ahhh...

The smell of anti-Catholicism.

Anywho...

Rejoice for the news of John Paul's impending canonization!

On the other hand...

PIUS XII, Santo Subito!!!

Unconfirmed reports say John Paul II miracle for canonization approved!

Vatican City, June 18 - The process of declaring former pope John Paul II a saint took a major step forward Tuesday, when the board of theologians of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints approved his second miracle. Now, the proclamation of his sainthood needs only the approval of the commission of cardinals and bishops and the final signature of Pope Francis, Vatican sources have told ANSA. It seems likely that John Paul II - who was beatified on May 1, 2011 - will be proclaimed a saint on October 20, approximately the 35th anniversary of his election as pope. The first miracle attribute to John Paul was an "inexplicable cure" - the first of two steps on the path to sainthood. The pontiff's successor Pope Benedict XVI, who abdicated earlier this year, sanctioned the beatification after a Vatican commission officially attributed as a miracle the inexplicable recovery of a French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, from Parkinson's Disease. The Vatican ruled that that came through the intervention of John Paul II. The second miracle that will be attributed to him remains a closely guarded secret but sources say it will "amaze the world". The Catholic Church has been keenly awaiting the canonisation of the charismatic John Paul II, one of the most popular popes in history, since he died in 2005 aged 84.

***

If this happens, as in the canonization of John Paul II, he will be beatified faster than St. Pius X!

Stay tuned!


PS: That photo of John Paul was never criticized for being too triumphalistic and too pre-Vatican II.  But when it comes to the Benedict XVI wearing the papal mozetta and stole, it's a different thing.

Seems even some Catholic bloggers are very choosy, no?

BREAKING NEWS: Blessed John Paul II closer to getting canonized!

From Andrea Tornielli

***

"A saint now!" The canonisation of Wojtyla is getting closer quickly and it could be celebrated next October. In fact, in the past few days, the medical council of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints has recognized as inexplicable one healing attributed to the blessed John Paul II. [This is the crucial stage as the medical council is the one to advise the council of theologians and cardinals whether there is scientific explanation to a purported miracle.  Something which "healing priests" at "healing" Masses don't have.....Well...........Moving on!]  A supposed "miracle" that, if it is also approved by theologians and the cardinals (as it is very likely), will bring the Polish Pope, who died in 2005, the halo of sainthood in record time, just eight years after his death.

It all happened in great secrecy, with maximum confidentiality. In January, the postulator of the cause, Mgr. Slawomir Oder, submitted a presumed miraculous healing to the Vatican Congregation for the Saints for a preliminary opinion. As it is known, after the approval of a miracle for the proclamation of a blessed, the canonical procedures include the recognition of a second miracle that must have occurred after the beatification ceremony.

Two doctors of the Vatican council had previously examined this new case, and both gave a favourable opinion. The dossier with the medical records and the testimonies was then officially presented to the Congregation, which immediately included the examination in its agenda. In the past few days it was discussed by a committee of seven doctors, the council (presided over by Dr. Patrick Polisca, Pope John Paul II's cardiologist), Pope Benedict XVI's personal physicians and now Pope Francis's. The medical council also gave a favourable opinion, the first official go-ahead by the Vatican, by defining as inexplicable the healing attributed to the intercession of the blessed Karol Wojtyla.

This is the overcoming of the first fundamental hurdle, given that the alleged miracle must now be approved by theologians and then by the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation, before being subjected to the Pope for the definitive "yes". In any case, the approval of the council is considered the most important step; in fact, neither the theologians nor the cardinals are involved in the clinical evaluations concerning the case.  [What the cardinals and the theologians will do is a canonical procedure.  The opinion of the medical experts count.]

From the steps taken, the desire of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to work quickly is evident, as it had already happened for the beatification of Pope John Paul II, celebrated by his successor Benedict XVI the 1st of May, 2011. This fast lane that continues to be open for Wojtyla indicates that even Pope Francis is in favour of the canonisation of the Polish Pope.

It is still premature to talk about dates for the canonization, but the rapidity with which the examination of the miracle process is happening still leaves open the possibility of celebrating it on Sunday October 20th, very close to the liturgical holiday assigned to the blessed Wojtyla, which is on October 22nd.

***

Anti John Paul II peeps will not like this, like uhmmm.....the SSP.......X?

But they did acknowledge him as pope, right?

They did include him in the Canon of the Mass when he was pope, right?

But some in the SSPX think nobody was sitting on the Chair of Peter during his time as pope and EVEN way back....after the death of Pius XII.

Hmmmm....

May the lost sheep heed the call of the Good Shepherd who gave Peter the mission to "feed my sheep, feed my lamb."

Santo subito!

Up next.....I hope.

What do you think is Pope Francis' main agenda?

And the reform of the Curia is not in there?  Hmm...

***

The amount of air time and column inches devoted to the need to reform the Roman Curia has been a striking feature of coverage of all things papal these last few weeks. So you might conclude that “running the Vatican” is the Pope’s principal task; but as soon as the thought is expressed that way the hollowness of such a view becomes clear.

The primary task of any Pope is Our Lord’s repeated request to Peter at the end of St John’s Gospel: “Feed my sheep.” The Holy See and its curia are at the service of this ministry, so any reform must come from a vision of how to feed the Church and the world.

In Pope Francis, we are truly blessed in having a man of God who has been able to articulate such a vision with remarkable speed and clarity, drawing on his own life as archbishop of a city dominated by poverty and on his own formation within the Society of Jesus, with its longstanding commitment to justice. [Eng?  And dissent from Church teaching???]  Not only does Pope Francis have a vision but he has a memorable way of expressing it: “a poor Church for the poor”. This is not a secular vision but one founded upon the Church as the bride of Christ, a doctrine he emphasised in his first homily as Pope: “We can walk as much as we want, we can build many things, but if we do not profess Jesus Christ, things go wrong. We may become a charitable NGO, but not the Church, the Bride of the Lord.”  [No wonder most of his brother Jesuits hate him!  Except for the loyal ones.  Ha!]

So with this vision that is at once new and old, Pope Francis will now bring his own style of leadership to the Petrine ministry. Much has already been made of the contrast with Pope Benedict’s style; this is helpful in so far as it highlights new energy but misguided if it becomes a criticism of his predecessor. [SPOT ON!] But it’s worth noting in passing that certain stylistic features are having too much meaning read into them: shoes, capes and chairs, for example. These are simply part of the range of items at a pope’s disposal in how he presents himself, setting a tone rather than dealing with substance. Each pope quite rightly inhabits these Roman cultural items in his own way without detracting from the unchanging nature of the Petrine ministry. As Pope Francis said in his address to the press: “Christ remains the centre, not the Successor of Peter … Without him, Peter and the Church would not exist or have reason to exist.”

So how will Christ be at the centre for Pope Francis? The classic theological description of Christ is Prophet, Priest and King. While all these three aspects of Christ’s life will be present in a papacy, one usually emerges as dominant.

In Blessed John Paul II’s ministry, the prophetic element was to the fore. The Christ whom he preached literally made nations tremble and empires crumble. Similarly, in his final illness he offered us Christ crucified as a prophetic challenge and as an affirmation of the culture of life. Turning to Pope Benedict, we see a papacy characterised strongly by Christ the High Priest. In his emphasis on greater dignity in the liturgy, combined with his outstanding sermons and speeches on a wide variety of themes, Pope Benedict presented in his ministry Christ as priest and, derived from that, Christ as teacher.

So is it too neat to think that the new Pope’s emphasis will be Christ the King? At first sight, this seems unlikely for a Pope who wants to highlight poverty and simplicity. But think again: an ideal king is a leader who cares for all his subjects, showing special concern for their material needs and protecting the weak from the tyranny of the strong. Christ as King, not of pomp, but of justice, does seem to be the aspect of Christ that Pope Francis is already emphasising. Yet the term “King” is problematic today and “President” is no better, so is there an image of modern political leadership that can express this kingly dimension of Christ and the Petrine ministry? St Augustine compared the Church to a city and so it may just work to see the Pope as mayor of that city. The priorities of a mayor (the new Pope) are the well-being of citizens, especially the poorest, and the quality of the environment. To translate these concerns into action, he needs a well run city hall (the curia) and effective borough councils (local conferences of bishops). He will also seek the cooperation of those from other cities (other religious communities) and of foreigners (those of no faith).

Pope Francis has already reached out to all these groups by name in the first 10 days of his pontificate. He wants to work with the cardinals who elected him, to build a relationship with Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew and to work with the media to whom he gave his first papal audience. Accompanying all this is his irrepressible urge to reach out to ordinary people, the citizens for whom he is working. The distinguishing character of a Petrine “mayor” is that he believes the earthly city (even the Eternal City of Rome) must be subject to the heavenly city. I believe that we can already see his way of achieving this taking shape in the mind of Pope Francis. So a joyful prospect is opening up for the Church, a trio of great popes, each of whom has inhabited the Petrine ministry in their own way, each emphasising a different aspect of Christ our Prophet, our Priest and our King.

Fr Christopher Jamison OSB is director of the National Office for Vocation

This article first appeared in the print edition of The Catholic Herald, March 29 2013


***

A nice analysis of what Pope Francis is setting up to do.

Not much sugar coating or candy sprinkling on the "humility and simplicity" hullabaloo the media keeps on trumpeting.

And not like what a priest-blogger keeps on yakking about traditionalism and all that thing.

Such mypoic view of the Petrine office.

BREAKING NEWS!!! Women Priests!!!

Liberal Party Proclamation Rally

Your half waffle comes with free Grape Cool Aid!

"The Church holds that it is not admissible to ordain women to the priesthood, for very fundamental reasons. These reasons include: the example recorded in the Sacred Scriptures of Christ choosing his Apostles only from among men; the constant practice of the Church, which has imitated Christ in choosing only men; and her living teaching authority which has consistently held that the exclusion of women from the priesthood is in accordance with God's plan for his Church"

-  John Paul II
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis

Now let us turn you over to EWTN and ask Mother Angelica for her comments about these women wanting to play "priest"

Hello Mother???

Uhmm.....Uhmm....Right!

Well, get back to Mother Angelica as soon as she finished praying the Prayer of St. Francis!

Now let's ask the current Holy Father with the emeritus pope for their comments!

"Don't look!  Don't turn around!  Just look at me!"

Ok!  Maybe we can head on over to some related developments...

Since these dissident groups are pushing for women priests........MAYBE............JUST MAYBE!!!

We can have............

MALE NUNS!

Let's see them shall we???

That is one ugly and scary Mother Superior!

With that we go to our survey!

We asked the common people about their reactions to the possiblity of women priests and male nuns in the Catholic Church!

And.......................SURVEY SAYS!!!

Even an animal doesn't like the idea!

Well, anywho!

Keep dreaming on with your delusion of grandeur!

Today is JP2's death anniversary

Memories of his death still vivid...

Click the image for a larger view.

Nice for a desktop wallpaper.

Today is April 2...

And yes enough of the April Fools jokes.

Some of us take life too seriously...

Well, this one is serious actually.

On April 2...these men died to receive their eternal reward in Heaven

St. Pedro Calungsod.  This is my personal favorite image of the boy martyr

Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, the Jesuit who brought the young Pedro to Guam

Blessed John Paul II, the pope who beatified the two martyrs.

Indeed!  April 2 is a blessed day!

Ok, enough grumpiness out of that April 1 "Motu Propio".