Happy to have lived in the age of John Paul II.
By eileenleyva
@eileenleyva (27555)
Philippines
October 21, 2019 9:08pm CST
In the Catholic tradition, feasts of saints are usually commemorated on the death day. In the case of John Paul II, his feast day is today, the day he was inaugurated as Pope in 1978.
This Pope is intriguing. If he was a rock star, which was how he was treated during his 27 year reign, his tally would have made headlines. Which he did, of course. Take for example he was the Pope who made the most number of trips to some 129 countries round the world. He beatified more down a thousand blessed men and women and canonized over 400 hundred saints,which was more than the number of saints in toto in the history of the Church.
He visited the Philippines twice as Pope, and the first time, in 1981, he did smile on the overly overwhelmed ME shouting like crazy with my friends at the royal, pontifical University of Santo Tomas. And he blessed me.
That is why I love him dearly. He is the only saint I have seen in person.
3 people like this
3 responses
@rsa101 (41096)
• Philippines
22 Oct 19
Yes he is quite different pope indeed since he was the pope that I had the chance to see as well when he visited briefly Bicol Region back then. I also know that he has a very painful and hard life when he was young since tragedies have befallen in his family. He could easily lost faith but he choose to follow him further to being a priest and later on becoming a Pope. He is an inspiration indeed.
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@eileenleyva (27555)
• Philippines
22 Oct 19
Happy to know you know Karol Wojtyla's story. My favorite was the moment when, as a young man during the war, he ran to the basement and prostrated himself, spreading his arms like a cross, waiting for the soldiers to find him and kill him, but alas, the soldiers came, searched, and even if he was in full view, did not see him, and left.
He was destined to lead us as Pope.
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@rsa101 (41096)
• Philippines
22 Oct 19
@eileenleyva Oh I never heard of that story of him. I guess he was really destined to do great things since he almost gave up already but someone had protected him from being caught.
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@eileenleyva (27555)
• Philippines
22 Oct 19
@rsa101 Amazing how he was protected!
And when he was Pope, a Turkish gunman shot him twice. When he woke up in the hospital, the first this he said was his offer of forgiveness for his shooter. He even visited the shooter in the prison cell when the merciful Pope was well and able.
Incredible the Pope JP II stories. Have you seen the photograph taken right after he was shot, and was collapsing? When the negative was printed, the picture showed the Blessed Mother embracing him. Goosebumps on my arms.
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@LindaOHio (222907)
• United States
22 Oct 19
I'm glad that you were able to see him in person.
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@eileenleyva (27555)
• Philippines
24 Oct 19
That wonderful moment got frozen in my memory bank and when I think about it, it's just like it happened yesterday. JPII was still young with an aura (or halo) making him appear so holy.
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@RasmaSandra (98157)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Oct 19
Thank you for sharing. I a glad you got to see him in person
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@eileenleyva (27555)
• Philippines
22 Oct 19
Actually, when he was Cardinal Karol Wohtyla, he was already emissary here in the Philippines. One Wednesday, his flight out was delayed and he asked for a nearby church where he could say Mass. The nearest church was Baclaran Church where devotees of the Mother of Perpetual come every Wednesday even from provinces for their petitions. Cardinal Wojtyla was shocked, surprised, amazed as he witnessed an already packed SRO church and more people are coming. That is why he loves the Philippines so much.
His partner in crime during Vatican II is our own Cardinal Jaime Sin, who welcomes him in the house of Sin. Ha ha
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