Welcome to the Blessed John Paul II Blog

In his homily to the young people in Toronto for the 17th World Youth Day, Blessed John Paul II encouraged his listeners to conquer the dark world around them and change it with the light of their souls. He said:

The world you are inheriting is a world which desperately needs a new sense of brotherhood and human solidarity. It is a world which needs to be touched and healed by the beauty and richness of God's love. It needs witnesses to that love. The world needs salt. It needs you - to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Blessed John Paul II spent much of his pontificate promoting a New Evangelization, setting the Church on a mission to build the Kingdom in the world and set it ablaze with Christ’s love. The Polish pope was a perfect embodiment of this: he made 104 pastoral visits during his pontificate, he celebrated 147 beatification ceremonies, he successfully encouraged dialogue with representatives of other religions, and he focused his missionary spirit on young people and families. He brought charity to a world desperately in need of the Gospel.

Blessed John Paul II’s life is worth holding on to and holding up. That's why the Knights of Columbus has established a new shrine to him in Washington D.C. The decision was announced by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson:

…we will build a Shrine of Blessed John Paul II that will continue his extraordinary legacy as pope and will be a place where his saintly spirituality can be explored and transmitted to his beloved “John Paul II Generation” and to many generations to come.

True to Blessed John Paul II's vision, and using the story of his life as an inspiration, the Knights of Columbus see the Shrine as an opportunity to spread the Good News through a New Evangelization.

The Shrine, which is currently under renovation, will offer pilgrims and visitors the opportunity to venerate a saint of our time while also discovering more about themselves. In addition to the Shrine, the preliminary plans for the site include exhibits on the life and legacy of Blessed John Paul II, and an exhibit on the Catholic heritage of North America.

Blessed John Paul II’s pontificate began with these words:

Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ.

With this blog we hope to “Open Wide the Doors” of this shrine, keeping future pilgrims and visitors up to date on special events, temporary exhibits, and the renovation schedule. We also hope to provide weekly inspiration from Blessed John Paul II’s own life and report on how the New Evangelization is blossoming in our world today.

This new project is exciting, but we must continue to pray during these planning stages. Please pray with us for the intercession of Blessed John Paul II.