“If I am mistaken, you will correct me”; thus, on October 16, 1978, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla introduced himself to the world, immediately winning people’s hearts. In his testament, he himself recalls that day with these words: “When, on October 16, 1978, the conclave of cardinals elected John Paul II, the Primate of Poland, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, told me: ‘The task of the new pope will be to lead the Church into the Third Millennium’” and this is precisely what John Paul II, the Pope “called from a distant country,” as he described himself in his first greeting to the faithful, actually did.
His was an exceptionally long pontificate (27 years), intense and above all missionary. He undertook a great many journeys (no fewer than 104!) to meet Christians throughout the world.
Open to dialogue with everyone, especially other religions, he wanted to meet their representatives in Assisi in 1986 to pray together for peace in the world.
Attentive to young people, for whom he launched World Youth Day in 1985. He attended no fewer than nineteen of them in various parts of the world, with millions of young people enthusiastically captivated by the word of God that he proclaimed without compromise.
No pope has ever met as many people as John Paul II, who knew how to best embody the idea of a Church “going out,” proclaiming the Gospel to the whole world, not closed away in sacristies but going out to meet everyone, believers and non-believers, Christians and people belonging to other religions, to build a world of justice and peace with everyone. A pope (a saint!) who changed history, also playing an important role in the fall of the communist regime in Poland, his homeland, and then in the rest of the Soviet countries, thus embodying what had been the message of the homily at the Mass marking the beginning of his pontificate: “Do not be afraid! Open, indeed, fling wide the doors to Christ! Open to his saving power the borders of states, economic systems as well as political ones, the vast fields of culture, civilization, and development. Do not be afraid! Christ knows ‘what is inside man.’ He alone knows!”
Let us pray to Saint John Paul II and, with him, a man of peace, offer the Lord a prayer for peace:
Lord,
source of justice
and the beginning of concord,
you, in the Angel's announcement to Mary
you brought to humanity
of reconciliation
the good news
between Heaven and earth:
open people's hearts to dialogue
and support their commitment
of those who work for peace,
because over the resort to arms
may negotiation prevail,
on misunderstanding, understanding,
on offense, forgiveness; on hatred, love.
Saint John Paul II
Discover all the publications and articles related to Saint John Paul II available in our store
