10/22/2026
St. John Paul II was born Karol Wojtyla in the small Polish town of Wadowice. During World War II, when the N***s invaded Poland, Karol secretly studied for the priesthood in an underground seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1946, appointed Archbishop of Krakow in 1964, and made a cardinal three years later. In 1978, he was elected the 264th pope, and he took the name John Paul II.
St. John Paul II made evangelization a key part of his papacy and made pastoral visits around the world. In 1981, he was shot twice in an assassination attempt. Following Jesus’ example of compassion, he later met with his would-be assassin in his prison cell, where he forgave him for what he had done.
St. John Paul II was well known as an active sportsman throughout his life, hiking and skiing well into his 60s. In 1992, his health began to decline, and it was later discovered that he suffered from Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system.
Near the end of his papacy, he struggled to speak, and his poor health and physical suffering made public appearances difficult. Still, he continued his pastoral work. He died April 2, 2005, and he was declared blessed on May 1, 2011. He became a saint on April 27, 2014.
“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.”
St. John Paul II, pray for us!
