Remembering and celebrating St. Pope John Paul II

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

Have you visited the Shrine of St. Pope John Paul? You may be asking, “Which one?” Do you know that we have a diocesan Shrine of St. John Paul II at Holy Rosary Parish in Passaic?

On this past Sunday, I had the opportunity to visit the shrine as the parish was celebrating a novena in preparation for the Feast of St. Pope John Paul II on Oct. 22. The Mass was bilingual (English and Polish). My “parts” were all in English, but it was wonderful to see and be with a vibrant parish community and to see and feel the special love and pride that the Polish community has for the saint who was sometimes called the “Polish Pope.” All of us who remember St. Pope John Paul II have come to know that he was truly a gift of the Polish people to the whole Church and the whole world.

Having been invited to celebrate a Mass in anticipation of his feast day gave me an opportunity to share again my own personal love and devotion to this great saint, “a saint of our times.” As time passes so quickly, it is hard to believe that it has been 16 years since the death of Pope John Paul II. Celebrating the Mass this past Sunday was also a reminder to me that we should be sure to encourage our children and young people to know and learn about this great saint.

There are so many, perhaps countless, ways in which St. Pope John Paul II continues to instruct and inspire us. In my homily on Sunday, reflecting on Jesus’ response to the request of James and John to “sit at his right and left in his glory” and Jesus’ teaching about the importance of being humble, I shared three ways in which I believe St. Pope John Paul II taught us to be faithful disciples. I would like to share those brief reflections as we celebrate his feast day.

In this month of October, dedicated to our Blessed Mother, especially under the title of “Our Lady of the Rosary,” we recall that St. Pope John Paul II was a great example and promoter of the Rosary. In his Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, published on Oct. 16, 2002, he gave us a “Year of the Rosary” (2002–03) and the new Luminous Mysteries (or Mysteries of Light) that were added to the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries. In sharing these thoughts, I was grateful for the opportunity to go back and read this beautiful Apostolic Letter and instruction on the rosary. 

Do you recall St. Pope John Paul II’s papal motto? It was interesting to ask this question of the congregation at the Mass in Holy Rosary. Many of the parents and those over 30 years of age responded right away, “Totus Tuus,” but I could see that some of the children and young people had to think about it. On a website called Catholic Insight I found these words of St. Pope John Paul II, describing his choice of “Totus Tuus” as his papal motto:

“My motto; ‘Totus Tuus’ is inspired by the teaching of St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort. These two words express total belonging to Jesus through Mary: ‘Tuus totus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt,’ St. Louis Marie wrote, and he translates his words: ‘I am all yours, and all that I have is yours, O most loving Jesus, through Mary, your most holy Mother’ (Treatise on True Devotion, n. 233). This saint’s teaching has had a profound influence on the Marian devotion of many of the faithful and on my own life. It is a lived teaching of outstanding ascetic and mystical depth, expressed in a lively and passionate style that makes frequent use of images and symbols.”

You can read more here.

A third way in which St. Pope John Paul II continues to inspire and teach us to be faithful disciples is through a recognition of and gratitude for our family, country, language, and history. Part of the deep beauty of our Catholic faith is its “universal” quality, that Jesus came literally for the whole world to save every human being in every time and place. We come to see the ways in which the gift of faith can become part of our identity, as individuals, families, communities, and nations. In the course of their history, the Polish people came to embrace the Catholic faith, symbolized in their devotion to our Blessed Mother under the title of Our Lady of Czestochwa. Those who know the history and life of St. Pope John Paul II know the impact that being Polish had on his formation, personal development, and vocation. My final recommendation for “further reading” is a book that I have recommended many times before, Gift and Mystery, which is the “memoir or spiritual reflection on his vocation that St. Pope John Paul II wrote on the occasion of his 50th anniversary of priestly ordination. Gift and Mystery offers a wonderful insight into St. Pope John Paul II’s gratitude and love for his family, friends, and teachers, as well as for his native land of Poland, its history, language, and culture.

I am very grateful to Father Stephan Las and the parish of Holy Rosary, not only for the invitation to celebrate Mass in anticipation of the Feast of St. Pope John Paul II, but also for promoting devotion to this beloved “saint of our times.”