Saint John Paul II

A vocation in troubled times

Karol Józef Wojtyła was born in Wadowice, Poland, on 18 May 1920. He lost his mother as a child and later his brother and father. While studying in Kraków, he experienced the Nazi occupation. With the university closed, he worked in a quarry and a chemical factory. In 1942 he began preparing for the priesthood in a clandestine seminary.

Ordained on 1 November 1946, he continued his studies in Rome before returning to pastoral work and teaching in Poland. He became Archbishop of Kraków in 1964 and a cardinal in 1967, having taken part in the Second Vatican Council. Elected pope on 16 October 1978, he began his public ministry as pope on 22 October, the date now associated with his memorial.

Sources: Holy See: biographical profile of John Paul II

A pastor for the world

John Paul II travelled widely, established World Youth Day and helped bring the Catechism of the Catholic Church to publication. He died on 2 April 2005. Pope Francis canonized him alongside John XXIII on 27 April 2014, Divine Mercy Sunday.

At that canonization, Francis reflected on both popes as witnesses who had faced the upheavals of the twentieth century with faith. He drew attention to their willingness to meet Christ in suffering people and described John Paul II's particular concern for families. Their holiness, he explained, directs the Church toward the mercy and hope of the risen Jesus.

Sources: Holy See: biographical profile of John Paul II · Pope Francis: canonization homily, 27 April 2014

A moment for reflection

Bring to prayer a family living through uncertainty, separation or grief. Consider one practical way to accompany them: a patient conversation, a meal, a visit or help with an ordinary task. Ask for the courage to remain present when you cannot solve the difficulty. Hope can take the form of faithful, unhurried attention to another person.