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Meet the Saints
Saint John XXIII
Saint John Paul II
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Saint John XXIII
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Saint John XXIII Born in Sotto il
Monte, outside Bergamo
In northern Italy On Nov 25, 1881 His family shared the
home with cousins and others – a total of nearly 30 for supper each evening
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Sotto il Monte It was a beautiful
small town Centered around
the parish church They raised crops
and livestock
The animals lived on the first floor of their house
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Saint John XXIII He was baptized on the day of his birth
in the parish church Named Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli One of 13 children (but several died in
infancy) His parents were sharecroppers
(meaning that they gave half their produce to a landlord for the right to live and farm there)
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Saint John XXIII
He went to the seminary and was ordained a priest in 1904
He served his local bishop and taught history in the seminary
Then he accepted roles as a representative of the Vatican (the Pope) to various places in the world
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Saint John XXIII
He served Turkey Greece &
Bulgaria France The city of
Venice in Italy And then
became Pope
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Saint John XXIII
He called Vatican II in 1959 He worked hard to lead the Council He was a friend to many people And he was loved by the whole
world He died in 1963 on June 3 The whole world mourned his death
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Vatican II
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Vatican II
All the bishops of the world From 1962-1965 (Oct thru Dec each
year) Renewed the Church Restored many elements of the
Church from the early centuries Including the Mass, Baptism, the RCIA Also the Call to Holiness
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St John XXIII: What he said
What did John XXIII expect from the Council?
The Council? he said as he moved toward the window and made a gesture as if to open it. I expect a little fresh air from it…We must shake off the imperial dust that has accumulated on the throne of St. Peter since Constantine.
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St John XXIII: What he said
Let us look at each other without mistrust, meet each other without fear, talk with each other without surrendering principles.
Unity in necessary things, freedom in doubtful things, charity in all things.
Listen to everything, forget much, correct a little.
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St John XXIII: What he said
The sense of my smallness and of my nothingness has always been my good companion,
keeping me humble and content and granting me the joy of
consecrating myself as best I can to the uninterrupted exercise of obedience and charity….
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St John XXIII: What he said
…I come from humble beginnings, and I was raised in a restraining,
blessed poverty whose needs are few and which assures the growth of the highest and noblest virtues,
and prepares one for the great ascents of life…
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St John XXIII: What he said
We were poor but happy with our lot and confident in the help of Providence….
When a beggar appeared at the door of our kitchen, there was always room for him,
and my mother would hasten to seat this stranger alongside us.
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Who was St John XXIII? A friend to everyone Unafraid of allowing the Spirit to shine in
the Church He desired the unity of all Christians He wanted us to focus on what unites us Rather than on what divides us He believed that charity must be first,
even above church rules
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To make the world glad After reading one of the proposed
documents for Vatican Council II, Pope John XXIII approached a Cardinal and said, “My dear son, look at this document here!
It uses up 30 inches condemning the world! We’ve been down that path for a very long time, and it hasn’t worked.”
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To make the world glad
John XXIII then said, “Let’s try something new.”
When asked why he called the Second Vatican Council the humble Pope John XXIII said: “To make the human journey less sad!”
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Saint John Paul II
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Saint John Paul II Born in Wadowice,
Poland On May 18, 1920 Youngest of 3 children His mother died when
he was young and his father not long afterward
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Wadowice, Poland
Small town Centered on the Church Ancient town Long history Very little
change
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St John Paul II
Attended college at the University in Krakow
Learned to speak 9 languages well And used them all as Pope
Was in the seminary during World War II
Helped many Jews escape the Nazis Ordained a priest in 1946
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St John Paul II
Served as a parish priest at Assumption parish in Krakow
Also served at St Florian’s Taught at the University Very active in social, sporting, and
theater groups Earned a doctorate in theology
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St John Paul II
Named bishop in 1958 Attended Vatican II Worked on the Constitution on the
Church in the Modern World Made cardinal in 1967 Elected Pope in 1978 Died on April 2, 2005
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St John Paul II as Pope Traveled extensively throughout the world Visited 129 nations Often kissed the ground when he arrived
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St John Paul II as Pope
Supported Vatican II But did not push for more changes
in the Church Worked for justice around the world
Opposed apartheid in South Africa Opposed the wars in the Middle East
Canonized 483 Saints
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St John Paul as Pope Apologized for past Church behavior
Galileo who was excommunicated for teaching that the sun is the center of the solar system
Catholic involvement in the slave trade The Church’s role in burning people at
the stake Injustice against women Church silence during the Holocaust
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St John Paul II: What he said
The future is in your hearts and in your hands.
God is entrusting to you the task, at once difficult and uplifting, of working with him
in the building of the civilization of love. (Downsview Address, 4)
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St John Paul II: What he said
Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places like the first apostles who preached Christ and the Good News of salvation in the squares of cities, towns, and villages.
This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is time to preach it from the rooftops. (World Youth Day 1993)
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St John Paul II: What he said Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is
incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed
to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it
his own, if he does not participate intimately in it. (Redemptor Hominis #10)