Pope Saint John Paul II was born Karol Wojtyla in the small Polish town of Wadowice. During World War II, when the Nazis invaded Poland, Karol secretly studied for the priesthood in an underground seminary established by the archbishop of Krakow. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1946. In 1964, Father Karol was appointed archbishop of Krakow; just three years later he was made a cardinal. In 1978, Cardinal Wojtyla was elected Pope, the 264th in the Church’s history. He took the name John Paul II. He began his papacy on Oct. 22 by telling the world, “Be not afraid”; his life showed everyone that to change the world, we must “cast into the deep for a great catch.”
Pope St. John Paul II
30+ ideas for celebrating the feasts of All Saints and All Souls
Halloween has nothing on All Saints’ Day for fun and interesting ways to celebrate. Here are thirty (more or less) ideas that I’ll be trying this year, including a few for All Souls’ Day.
The Decalogue of Pope St. John XXIII: Daily resolutions for your kids (and you!)
Among the many legacies of St. Pope John XXIII is a joy-filled, practical spirituality…including his Daily Decalogue, a list of ten spiritual goals “only for today.” Here it is, so you can try it with your kids as part of your morning prayer routine.
Trick or treat? Teaching about All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days
Halloween traditions often bring about much debate among Catholics. Are we glorifying evil and dead things? Isn’t it just too scary? Is it a pagan holiday? The simple answer to […]
5 Carlo Acutis Quotes for Young Saints in the Making
St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, fully embraced the gift of life. Known as a computer whiz, he also liked to play soccer, video games, and the saxophone. […]
