Prayer of Blessed John Paul II At The Western Wall

God of our fathers,

you chose Abraham and his descendants

to bring your Name to the Nations:

we are deeply saddened by the behavior of those

who in the course of history

have caused these children of yours to suffer,

and asking your forgiveness we wish to commit ourselves

to genuine brotherhood

with the people of the Covenant.

Amen.

Sunday, 26 March 2000

Papal Intentions for November

The Holy Father’s general intention for the month of November is that “…priests who experience difficulties may find comfort in their suffering, support in their doubts, and confirmation in their fidelity.”

His mission intention is that, “…as fruit of the continental mission, Latin American Churches may send missionaries to other Churches.”

Let us pray with Pope Francis this month, and let us especially be attuned to whether God is asking us to be an answer to this prayer to comfort, support, and affirm our priests.

Living The Solemnity

The Church lives in a great perspective. This perspective accompanies her always, molds her continually, and directs her towards eternity. The liturgy of the day highlights the eschatological reality, a reality which springs from the whole plan of salvation and at the same time from man's history, a reality which gives the very existence of the Church and her mission their ultimate meaning.

That is why we live so intensely the solemnity of All Saints, as well as, tomorrow, the Commemoration of all the dead. These two days enclose, in a particular way, faith in "eternal life" (the last words of the apostolic "Creed").

And although these two days put before the eyes of our soul the inevitability of death, they give, at the same time, a testimony of life. Man who, according to the laws of nature, is "condemned to death," man who lives in the perspective of the annihilation of his body, exists at the same time in the perspective of future life, and is called to joy.

The solemnity of All Saints puts before the eyes of our faith all those who have already reached the fullness of their call to union with God. The day that commemorates the dead directs our thoughts towards those who, having left this world, are waiting in expiation to reach that fullness of love which union with God requires.

These are two great days for the Church which, in a certain way, "prolongs her life" in her saints, and also in all those who have prepared for this life by serving truth and love.

And therefore the Church, in the first days of November, is united in a special way with her Redeemer who, through his death and his resurrection, brought us into the very reality of this life.

-Blessed John Paul II, Angelus on Solemnity of All Saints, 1978

Our beloved Holy Father, we remember you especially today on the Solemnity of All Saints, as one who truly gave to the Church a testimony of life.

Little Lolek

Karol Józef Wojtyła was born on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland. The youngest of three children, young Karol was part of a loving and God-fearing family.

He knew much about suffering at an early age -- his mother died of kidney failure when he was in third grade and his brother died when he was twelve –but he also held a profound trust in God and the goodness of His will. Much of this came from the spiritual care of his father, who Blessed John Paul II referred to as a “man of constant prayer” (Gift and Mystery, 20).

Known to his friends as Lolek, Karol was a tall, chubby and vibrant youth, who was gifted with strong athletic skills, intellectual abilities and theatrical talents. His boyhood friend, Jerzy Kluger recalls their great love for swimming in or skating on the Skawa river, depending on the season. They also hiked and played soccer, with little Lolek often in the goalie position.

There are a number of stories from Blessed John Paul II’s early life and childhood that we will recount during the next month. This is all a part of the Blessed John Paul II Shrine’s preparation for the canonization, which is now under six months away. Keep following us here and on our Facebook page.

A Place At The Table

Last weekend, Archbishop of Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl preached to a number of disabled communities in attendance at the Archdiocese’s fourth annual White Mass. In his homily, he said:

Just as all of us are created by God as we are, and all of us have a place at the table of the Lord through baptism, so those with special needs bring their own particular gifts to the Church and to our celebration today…

Each of us is in need of the other, and each of us is enriched by the others, and we depend upon and are complemented by others.

As Blessed John Paul II often taught us, the human person is a sacred and necessary part of God’s creation. Cardinal Wuerl echoed this truth, saying that each one of us, with our abilities and disabilities, has a place at the table of the Lord and a place in one another’s lives.

Happy Feast Day!

Today the Shrine is bustling with activity as we celebrate the feast day of our beloved patron. Thirty-five years ago today, Blessed John Paul II embarked on his pontificate with these words:

Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power. Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and with Christ's power to serve the human person and the whole of mankind. Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. To his saving power open the boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization and development. Do not be afraid. Christ knows "what is in man." He alone knows it. 

Let us pray for Blessed John Paul II's intercession today, that we may be like him in opening wide the doors for Christ.

Hail Mary, Woman Of Faith

Hail Mary, poor and humble Woman,
Blessed by the Most High!
Virgin of hope, dawn of a new era,
We join in your song of praise,
to celebrate the Lord’s mercy,
to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom
and the full liberation of humanity.

Hail Mary, lowly handmaid of the Lord,
Glorious Mother of Christ!
Faithful Virgin, holy dwelling-place of the Word,
Teach us to persevere in listening to the Word,
and to be docile to the voice of the Spirit,
attentive to his promptings in the depths of our conscience
and to his manifestations in the events of history.

Hail Mary, Woman of sorrows,
Mother of the living!
Virgin spouse beneath the Cross, the new Eve,
Be our guide along the paths of the world.
Teach us to experience and to spread the love of Christ,
to stand with you before the innumerable crosses
on which your Son is still crucified.

Hail Mary, woman of faith,
First of the disciples!
Virgin Mother of the Church, help us always
to account for the hope that is in us,
with trust in human goodness and the Father’s love.
Teach us to build up the world beginning from within:
in the depths of silence and prayer,
in the joy of fraternal love,
in the unique fruitfulness of the Cross.

Holy Mary, Mother of believers,
Our Lady of Lourdes,
pray for us.
Amen.

-Prayer of Blessed John Paul II at the Conclusion of the Rosary, August 14, 2004