www.popesmass.com


BELOVED FATHER

Pope John Paul II


BIOGRAPHY Pope John Paul II, born on May 18th, 1920, in Wadowice (Poland), is said to be the most recognized person in the world. He is, by far, the most traveled pope in the 2,000 year history of the Church, and he speaks eight languages. Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, the Archbishop of Krakow was 58 years old when the College of Cardinals elected him to lead the Roman Catholic Church on October 16th, 1978. He was the first non-italian chosen as pope in 456 years and the youngest this century. He is the first Pope from Poland in the 1000-year history of christian Polish nation. He is the 264th pope in Church history.

John Paul II suffered serious wounds during an assassination attempt on May 13th, 1981, at the age of 61, and more recent health problems have prompted questions about his longevity. Nevertheless, the pontiff has demonstrated his mental agility is untouched by the years when he wrote a book entitled Crossing the Threshold of Hope during the fifteenth year of his Church leadership.

John Paul II teaches us the way to salvation in his numerous encyclicals, letters, other writings and in countless speeches delivered in dozens of languages. His recent encyclicals Veritatis splendor (5 Oct 1994) and Evangelium Vitae -- On the Value and Inviolability of Human Life (25th March 1995) show the mankind how to live and why to live.

While conveying the message of God in our times, he faces the fate of Jesus Christ: hatred, slander campaigns, assassination attempts (eg. in 1981, 1982) by dark powers of this world, and at the same time hundreds of millions of upright women and men, young and old, listening carefully and with love to his words.
Because in the time of civilization of death, wars, terror, genocide, euthanasia, abortion and other derivatives of fascism, exploitation and poverty, imposed by politicians, he has the courage to call for civilization of life and love.
Because in the time of mass media propagating brutality, selfishness, egoism, deviations, distrust towards family, friends, neighbors and strangers, he calls for love and solidarity.
Because in times of glorification of astrology, superstition, occultism, satanism and of crimes and criminals produced by them, he speaks about the only true God, the Almighty, who is the Judge over good and bad, who loves all humans and who sent His Only Son Jesus Christ to liberate all people from the evil.

For more information see also:

Major Biograpohical Events in the Life of the Pontiff

Alfred Olsen's Roman Catholic Links | Pilgrimage with Saint Michael the Archangel | Mr. Heitmann's Catholic Page | Father Peter Weatherby's Catholic Links | Canadian Catholic Campus Ministry | One Holy Catholic and Apostolic | Jennye's Catholic Web Links | Columbia University Augustine Club Catholic FAQ | Marion Prayers | Catholic Tracts | Corunum Catholic Apologetic Web Page | Eastern Prayers | Byzantine Catholic Church in America - Byzantine Christian Faith, Worship & Spirituality | Orthodox Prayers, Hymns and Articles | The Word Among Us (includes Meditations, Prayer, Saints & Heroes, Witnesses of the Faith | Jubilee 2000 (includes Incarnationis Mysterium: Bull of Indiction of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 - Tertio Millennio Adveniente: On Preparation for the Jubilee of the Year 2000 - Prayer of His Holiness Pope John Paul II for 1999: in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 - Prayer of His Holiness Pope John Paul II: for the Celebration of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 - Jesus Christ, the Only Saviour of the World: Bread for New Life - Basic Text for the 47th International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Rome June 18-25, 2000 - The Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 - Year 1997: Jesus Christ - The Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 - Year 1998: Holy Spirit )

Prayers for College Students (includes Before Studying, Offering of Life to Our Lady, Our Lady of Studies, Prayer to Mary for a Good Mind, To Be Generous, Offering of One's Body, Offering of the Heart, Prayer for Engaged Couples, Prayer For Growth in Love, Prayer for Healing, Offering of the Senses, Offering of the Will, Prayer of Saint Francis, A Student's Prayer, Prayer for Vocations, For Confidence in God, A Prayer for Peace, Prayer of Praise, To Find God in Nature, Let Creations Praise the Lord, Hiking Prayer, and Graduation Prayer: Facing Life) | Popular Catholic Prayers | Project Rachel | Parish of St. Ann, Ridgecrest, CA | Pirate Pete's Catholic Page | Prayer and the Internet | Catholicism.cz (dedicated to the devotion of the Infant Jesus of Prague) | Dominican Shrine of St. Jude | Fides Patrum | Celtic Blessings | Catholic Mikokoro (Sacred Heart) Center Nagoya, Japan | Prayers of the Rosary | Marian Links and Catholic Resources | Catholic Internet Directory - 1998 | St. Jude Prayer Book | Canticle of Brother Sun | Province of Saint Joseph Capuchin Franciscans Catholic Site List | Catholic Web Sites | Christmas Prayers | Prayers for the New Year | Fides Patrum Catholic Prayers | Our Lady of Guadalupe | Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart | Prayers of the Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God | Chester's Catholic Index | Catechism of the Catholic Church | St. Joseph Communications | Keeping Catholics Catholic | Catholic Pics | Catholic Net Review | ClearLight | Syrian Orthodox Prayer Book | Manual of Prayers Announcement | Catholic Prayer League (Sri Lanka) | Mary Mother of Unity Main Prayers of the Catholic Church | Newman Fellowship - Prayer | Roman Catholic Webring | Catholics Around The Hemisphere | Blessed Virgin Mary Page (with the Mary Talk Picture Gallery) | sacredheart.com Catholic Bookstore | Devotions (superbly designed) | Praying: How and Why and How Does The Pope Pray? from Crossing The Threshold of Hope | National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton | Early Church Documents | Franciscan web sites | Faith Movement | Guardian Angel Books | Prayers of the LIFE (Living In Faith Experience) Alumni Project | Augustine (by Classical Studies Professor James J. O'Donnell) | The Life of St. Teresa of Avila | Dolan Family Prayer Page | Prayer Friends -- Daughters of St. Paul | My Friend -- Catholic Magazine for Kids | Ono Ekeh | How to Pray | Friends of the Cross Communications | Katolinen kirkko | Zdzislaw Huber | Catholic FAQ at Columbia University's Augustine Club | The Holland's Irish Catholic Page | Calendar of Irish Saints | Project Brotherhood Society | Fatima Network: Prayer and Devotion (with Act of Consecration and Mass and Prayer Intentions) | CPATS (with Catholic Prayer Web Pages) | Padre Serra Parish Prayer | IRC #catholic prayer book's request form and requests | The Rock! Catholic Links (with prayers) | Patricia's World of Catholic Saints and Holy Witnesses | Joseph's Catholic Webatorium | The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (with "The Angel's Prayer at Fatima") | Lane's World CatholicPage | Catholic Truth Publications | Prayer to Saint Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother | The Mass | PrayerLine | Modern Papal Visions | Mary Foundation | Saint Jude Media | Contemporary Jesuit Artists | Marian Groups, Associations, and Shrines | Days with the Lord: Prayers and Thoughts | Bukas-Loob sa Diyos | CatholiCity | Beggar King Apologetics | ChristLife | Opus Dei | The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila | Introduction to Indulgences | Catholic Goldmine | Saints Index) | Lord, Teach Us How to Pray (a Bread on the Waters web page that includes Meditations and Prayers for Lent and Easter, Daily Prayers, and other Web Sources on Prayer) | Diocese of San Jose Prayers, with a map of special needs to Psalms | Traditional Prayers of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception | Family Rosary | Pirate Pete's Prayer Page | Catholic Mother's Internet Connection | 100% Roman Catholic Merchandise | Mary Mother of Unity | Russian Orthodox Prayer Book | Catholic Kiosk Info Web's Catholic Resources | Diocese of Charleston (SC) | Diocese of Manchester (NH) | Gesu Parish | Oregon Catholic Press | GIA Publications | Archdiocese of Milwaukee | Benedictine Sisters Sacred Heart Monastery (Richardton, ND) | Order of Preachers: Saints, Blesseds & Common Folk | Paul Turner on the Hail Mary | Titles of Our Lady | Saint Ann's Solemn Novena Prayers | St. Benedict Center's Catholic Prayers | Et Cum Spiritu Tuo's Online Catholic Prayer Book | Online Devotions | Our Lady Of The Holy Spirit Center (Includes Prayer to the Holy Spirit and Prayer Request Line) | St. Jude Thaddeus | Shepherds of Christ (Includes Prayer to the Holy Spirit, Special Prayers, Consecrations to Jesus and Mary (for Children) - Consecrations to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary - A Prayer before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - Prayer for Union with Jesus - Meditating on the Rosary Aves) | Prayer in the Home | Holy Love Prayers and Devotions | Maryknoll | ICHTHUS | Internet Theology Resources | Kurt's Computer Links to God | Community of Blessed Sacrament | 1996 Catholic Internet Directory | Mantle (Apostolate Alliance of the Two Hearts) | Augustine Club | Greetings to the Blessed Virgin by St. Francis of Assisi | Why Wasn't St. Patrick Mentioned at Mass Last Sunday? | Autobiography of St. Patrick | Celtic Christianity | St. Benedict's Monastery - St. Joseph, MN | Prayer to St. Joseph over 1900 years old on Et Cum Spiritu Tuo | Carmelites of the Teresian Carmel | Heart of Mary Priory | Basic Catholic Prayers | Catholic Online Belief & Prayers Page (Basic Prayers, Jesus, Mary, Rosary, Saints, Angels, Litany of the Saints, Stations of the Cross, Indulgences) Catholic Prayers (in English, German, and Polish) | Novenas | Orthodox Prayers | Prayer Requests | Rosary Center | Detailed Guide to Our Lady's Rosary | Rosary Guide | New Advent | Catholic Answers | Apologetics | Apparitions of Jesus and Mary | Augustine | Order of St. Benedict | Catholic Calendar | Ecclesiastical Calendar | Catholic Charities | Classic Texts | Eternal Word Television Network | FAITH Movement | Catholic Files | Catholic Files and Pointers | HandiLinks | Holy Cross Retreat | Catholic Information Center | Catholic Information Network | Dominicans | Franciscans | Ignatius Press | Overzicht Katholieke Kerk op het Web | Jesuit Resources | Pope John Paul II | KATHWeb | Lady Chapel at Axis Mundi | Life and Truth | Madonna | Marian Hour | Marians of the Immaculate Conception | Children of Mary | Christus Rex | Legion of Mary | Medjugorje Web | Montessori Catholic Council | Newfoundland | Catholic Online | ParokiNet | Queen's Chinese Catholic Community (QCCC) | Religious Education | Catholic Resources on the Internet | Retrouvaille . . . a Lifeline for Married Couples | Salesian Studies | Salvatorians | Sanctus Virgilius | Catholic Schools on the Net | Catholic Shop | Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary | Life Teen | Spirituality for Today | Vatican | WTS | Y.A.C.H.T. | Catholic Youth Ministry | Our Lady Of LaSalette (Canton, GA) | Father Charlie | International Ecclesia Dei Association (St. Anthony of Padua Chapter) | Catholic Kichijoji Church (Japan) | Catholic Charismatic Center | Cal Tech's Chaplain | St. George Melkite (Byzantine) Greek Catholic Church | St. Mary of the Visitation Parish (Huntsville, AL) | Saint Pius X (Greensboro, NC) | Hexam & Newcastle, UK | North Dakota Catholic Conference | Diocese of Pittsburgh (PA) | Diocese of Raleigh (NC) | Archdiocese of Singapore | St John the Evangelist (Westminster, MD): Catholic Creeds, Divine Mercy, General Prayers, Litanies, Rosary, Stations of the Cross | Associated Catholic Cemeteries, Archdiocese of Seattle: A Special Time | Prayers to the Angels of God | Mother of God | Married | Liturgical Arts | Treasury of Novenas | Sign of the Cross in Irish Gaelic | Hail Mary in Irish Gaelic | Our Father in Irish Gaelic
www.popesmass.com

CONTACT