The Feast of Blessed John Paul II!

I thank God for his life spent in love for Christ and for others, which has enriched the lives of all humanity through the grace of the Holy Spirit, in an attitude of brotherhood and peace.

-Pope Benedict XVI

Today is a very special day for the Church, and it is especially important here at the Blessed John Paul II Shrine. This great man lived and breathed the Gospel, and the radiance of the Lord shone brightly through every ounce of his being. Blessed John Paul II was certainly a gift to the Church, and we know he is smiling down upon us now as we embark on this Year of Faith and participate in this Synod on the New Evangelization.   

This year is pivotal for the Blessed John Paul II Shrine as we finish planning and begin building a home for the veneration of our beloved Holy Father. The whole world should know of his profound message of Hope, and that is what we want to communicate as things progress here.

Please pray with us today, on this most special of feasts:

Prayer to Implore Favors Through the Intercession of Blessed John Paul II, Pope

O Blessed Trinity, we thank You for having
graced the Church with Blessed John Paul II
and for allowing the tenderness of Your
Fatherly care, the glory of the Cross of
Christ, and the splendor of the Spirit of love,
to shine through him. Trusting fully in
Your infinite mercy and in the maternal
Intercession of Mary, he has given us
a living image of Jesus the Good Shepherd,
and has shown us that holiness is the
necessary measure of ordinary Christian life
and is the way of achieving eternal
communion with You. Grant us, by his
intercession, and according to Your will, the
graces we implore, hoping that he will soon
be numbered among Your saints. Amen.