Pope recalls John Paul II’s
commitment to peace, justice, development
Pope Francis on Wednesday met some 700 Polish pilgrims from
Krakow, who are in Rome to mark the 40th anniversary of the election of St.
Pope John Paul II on Oct. 16.
By Robin Gomes
St. Pope John Paul II served as the Archbishop
of Krakow from 1964 until his election as pope on 16 October,
1978.
Greeting the pilgrims from Krakow who are in Rome to mark
the 40th anniversary of the election of John Paull II,
Pope Francis expressed admiration for his predecessor’s great abundance of
gifts, which he largely inherited from the treasure of faith and holiness
of Poland and its Church.
Richness of Polish faith
Mentioning saints from Krakow such as Stanislaus, Queen
Hedwig, Albert and Faustina, Pope Francis said Pope John Paul learned
from them about the boundless dedication to Christ and
the great sensitivity for every man, which, he said, were
manifested in his priestly, episcopal and papal ministry.
John Paul II also knew how to read the signs of the
times in the light of the Gospel, to make it bear fruit for the
benefit of his compatriots who through various painful events of their history
never lost their faith in God and were faithful to their culture
rooted in the Christian spirit.
Human rights, dignity
Pope Francis said that in his fidelity to his culture and
Christian faith, John Paul II sought to “ensure that the Church stood up as the
guardian of the inalienable rights of man, of the family and
of peoples, in order to be a sign of peace, justice and
integral development for the whole human family.”
But at the same time, the Polish pope always underscored the
priority of grace and obedience to God's will, before any human
calculation.
This rich heritage of John Paul II, Pope Francis said, is
for Christians, especially his compatriots, a challenge to be faithful to
Christ and to respond with joyful dedication to God's call to
holiness in the daily specific personal, family and social situation
of everyday life.
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