A Story of Two Popes

This Sunday we have so much going in the Church.  We have the celebration of the 2^nd Sunday of Easter, we also celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday and this year the Church has added a third celebration, the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II.  What a blessing for those of us who get to experience this day.  Some of us remember John XXIII and many of us remember John Paul II, both men were the kind of people who are not simply just a part of history, rather they were the kind of people who make and shape history.

Pope John XXIII also known as Papa Giovanni or Papa Bouno (the Good Pope) was elected as an elderly man, at the age of 78.  Since Pius XII had a long reign the College of Cardinals were looking for a transitional pope, one who would not change too many things.  Upon being elected and shortly after the “Good Pope” decided that he would change things and change them quite a bit so that the Church would be “with the times.”  He officially opened the 2^nd Vatican Council, one of the most attended, publicized, and influential councils in the Church since Trent or even as far back as Ephesus or Nicea.  Beyond the changes in the Church, the Good Pope was known for his smile, having fun, and having that grandfatherly image, one in which people felt very comfortable when in his presence, feeling his sense of holiness and genuine goodness.

Pope John Paul the Great was elected much younger than was Pope John XXIII.  Pope John Paul II was elected on April 16, 1978.  As a bishop he was at the second Vatican Council, along with Pope Benedict XVI.  Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI both had a great influence on JP II, hence continuing the name of John Paul.  JP II was the first non-Italian pope in over five centuries and he was a Slavic Pope, a son of Poland.  I remember many things about JP II and he had great influence in my life, I choose my confirmation name, Paul so that my full name would be John Paul since I never had a middle name.  More importantly than that however is that this man truly was great, like Leo the Great or Gregory the Great.  World leaders upon meeting him would say that the rest of us were small compared to this man of great stature and goodness.  We know much about JP II but there are some things we may never know officially, such as the great influence he had with President Regan in bringing down communism in Poland, Germany, and Russia without ever firing one bullet.  The two men were good friends and shared a lot in common.  The most endearing thing I will remember from JP II was when he visited NYC and he had a cane at the time.  When the crowd began to cheer his name he started twirling his cane.  I thought to myself, “what a cool pope!”

As we reflect on these two saints, their lives, their work, how they affected us and the world, let us try to emulate their faith and to continue to ask them to watch over our family here at Holy Family.  Pope Saint John XXIII, pray for us, Pope Saint John Paul II, pray for us.