Oct. 22, 2013 Tuesday: Blessed John Paul II
O God, you are our Creator.
You are good and your mercy knows no bounds.
To you arises the praise of every creature.
O God, you have given us an inner law by which we must live.
To do your will is our task.
To follow your ways is to know peace of heart.
To you we offer our homage.
Guide us on all the paths we travel upon this earth.
Free us from all the evil tendencies which lead our hearts away from your will.
Never allow us to stray from you.
O God, judge of all humankind, help us to be included among your chosen ones on the last day.
O God, Author of peace and justice, give us true joy and authentic love, and a lasting solidarity among peoples.
Give us your everlasting gifts. Amen.
— Bl. Pope John Paul II
Extraordinary Encounters with Blessed John Paul II
Giving a country new hope
The year was 1983, I was 14 years old, and in Nicaragua, the Sandinista revolution had pretty much destroyed any semblance of illusion, hope, and expectations for the future of the nation. My brother was dead, and the youth of the country was faced with a stark choice, to fight for the communist government, via a draft, or to fight against it, with the Contras. All political opposition had been crushed, and in the midst of this desperation, of this suicidal youth march, we are told that Pope John Paul II would visit Nicaragua. As a non-practicing Catholic, I was aware of who the pope was, but I was not prepared for the enormous impact this man, with his humble yet forthright countenance, would unleash on the totalitarian regime. That day, the pope held mass in front of over one million faithful, the mass of people completely awestruck and in trance, for nobody had ever meant so much to so many. On that sunny afternoon, He was the voice of justice, reason, hope and love, to a depressed youth, that had lost faith in the future of a nation. John Paul II gave Nicaraguans a reason to hope, a reason to live, and a reason to continue the fight for freedom, against totalitarian rule. On one sunny, warm, afternoon, and in one fell swoop, this pope gave us back our faith, and let us know that freedom is God's greatest gift to mankind. As he well put it: "Be Not Afraid". May God hold you in his stead, John Paul II, forever.
—Lionel Quinteros, Cape Coral, Fla.
‘Being in his presence was breathtaking’
When my daughter was attending college during her sophomore year in Rome I had the opportunity to visit her and attend the Holy Father's Wednesday outdoor audience one beautiful spring day. Through the intervention of close friendBein who knew a Swiss guard my husband and I were able to obtain some very good seats near the Pope. One of the images that will always remain with me is of him bestowing his blessing upon recent brides and grooms. As so many people have expressed, just being in his presence was breathtaking!
—Donna Andrews, Oakton, Va.
Goodbye rain, hello sun
When he came to Yankee Stadium in New York City so many years ago I was there with my ten year old son who had just become an alter boy at our parish. The weather was horrendous with wind and heavy rain. As we waited for the arrival of Pope John Paul an announcement was made on the loud speakers for all of us to pray that the weather would clear for the Pope. The thousands of us prayed outloud and to ourselves and as the motorcade approached and the rains continued to beat down we all felt sad. They stopped outside the gate and seconds before Pope John Paul entered the rain stopped, the sun shown through the clouds making the rain on the field glitter like gold. It was absolutely breathtaking and you could hear the gasp from the crowd for what we had witnessed. The Pope came through the gates and the sun continued to shine. When he left and went out of the gates the rain came down. I will never forget that day and I will forever remember the beloved Pope John. Although he is no longer of this earth I think of all of the gloriously happy people in Heaven rejoicing in his coming home. May he rest in peace.
—Kathy Pallotta, Morristown, N.J.
Heavenly feeling
I was blessed to be in the Pope presence two times. My first was in New York at the racetrack in Queens. I was so overwhelmed I felt this was Jesus on earth. The tears came down my eyes uncontrollably. The next time I was at the Vatican for the beatification of Mother Teresa. I was on the tenth row seat from the Pope's podium. It was awesome. I felt warmth, beauty and a profound feeling of oneness with all those thousands of people who were there. Being in the presence of the Pope John Paul II makes me feel heavenly. I could not believe my eyes. I was really looking at him. He is indeed a precious gift to us Catholics and to the world. Tonight, I shall look at my photo album with pictures of the Pope that I took at the Vatican and reflect upon the life of this Holy Man.
—Marie Morgan
Eye contact
I was assigned to the security detail for the Pope's visit to Newark. At the time, my daughter was being treated for Nueroblastoma, a very nasty pediatric cancer. As the Pope mobile passed the area that I was assigned, he was blessing the crowd that had formed to meet him. As I made the sign of the cross, he looked briefly at me and we made eye contact for just a second. I felt that my daughter would be alright. Now, some nine years later, she is considered "cured". I began to walk parallel to the Popemobile for about 20-25 yards as it approached the front of the cathedral. I looked at the jumbotron Television screen that was erected and saw that I was on TV with the Pope. I went home and luckily a friend had recorded the news coverage. SO now I have a video of the Holy Father and me.
—Bill Whitley, Basking Ridge, N.J.
Powerful blessing
In September 1987, my husband of two months and I went to San Antonio to see Pope John Paul II. We were lucky to be at the end of our row, where the Pope would be going past to get to the altar to celebrate mass. As the Pope passed by us, his procession stopped and he looked out into the crowd. He seemed to look directly into my eyes, and I remember the love and gentleness emanating from him. He passed a blessing on to me and smiled, and at that moment I looked at my husband and told him that I thought I might be pregnant, even though I had had no symptoms.
The next week my doctor verified that I was indeed about two weeks pregnant. My son was born in June 30, 1988, nine months and two weeks after seeing the Pope. To this day my son is an extremely devout Catholic, and is a very strong and loving person. He seems to have the same love and gentleness is his eyes as he was blessed with so long before his birth.
I have always felt that my son would have a calling for the church, but have never stated this to him. In the past two years he has several times asked me questions about joining the seminary, which I would be so proud for him to do. So I honestly feel that not me, but by son was truly blessed by the Pope on his visit to San Antonio in 1987.
--Becky Mullican, Baytown, Texas
www.nbcnews.com
You are good and your mercy knows no bounds.
To you arises the praise of every creature.
O God, you have given us an inner law by which we must live.
To do your will is our task.
To follow your ways is to know peace of heart.
To you we offer our homage.
Guide us on all the paths we travel upon this earth.
Free us from all the evil tendencies which lead our hearts away from your will.
Never allow us to stray from you.
O God, judge of all humankind, help us to be included among your chosen ones on the last day.
O God, Author of peace and justice, give us true joy and authentic love, and a lasting solidarity among peoples.
Give us your everlasting gifts. Amen.
— Bl. Pope John Paul II
Extraordinary Encounters with Blessed John Paul II
Giving a country new hope
The year was 1983, I was 14 years old, and in Nicaragua, the Sandinista revolution had pretty much destroyed any semblance of illusion, hope, and expectations for the future of the nation. My brother was dead, and the youth of the country was faced with a stark choice, to fight for the communist government, via a draft, or to fight against it, with the Contras. All political opposition had been crushed, and in the midst of this desperation, of this suicidal youth march, we are told that Pope John Paul II would visit Nicaragua. As a non-practicing Catholic, I was aware of who the pope was, but I was not prepared for the enormous impact this man, with his humble yet forthright countenance, would unleash on the totalitarian regime. That day, the pope held mass in front of over one million faithful, the mass of people completely awestruck and in trance, for nobody had ever meant so much to so many. On that sunny afternoon, He was the voice of justice, reason, hope and love, to a depressed youth, that had lost faith in the future of a nation. John Paul II gave Nicaraguans a reason to hope, a reason to live, and a reason to continue the fight for freedom, against totalitarian rule. On one sunny, warm, afternoon, and in one fell swoop, this pope gave us back our faith, and let us know that freedom is God's greatest gift to mankind. As he well put it: "Be Not Afraid". May God hold you in his stead, John Paul II, forever.
—Lionel Quinteros, Cape Coral, Fla.
‘Being in his presence was breathtaking’
When my daughter was attending college during her sophomore year in Rome I had the opportunity to visit her and attend the Holy Father's Wednesday outdoor audience one beautiful spring day. Through the intervention of close friendBein who knew a Swiss guard my husband and I were able to obtain some very good seats near the Pope. One of the images that will always remain with me is of him bestowing his blessing upon recent brides and grooms. As so many people have expressed, just being in his presence was breathtaking!
—Donna Andrews, Oakton, Va.
Goodbye rain, hello sun
When he came to Yankee Stadium in New York City so many years ago I was there with my ten year old son who had just become an alter boy at our parish. The weather was horrendous with wind and heavy rain. As we waited for the arrival of Pope John Paul an announcement was made on the loud speakers for all of us to pray that the weather would clear for the Pope. The thousands of us prayed outloud and to ourselves and as the motorcade approached and the rains continued to beat down we all felt sad. They stopped outside the gate and seconds before Pope John Paul entered the rain stopped, the sun shown through the clouds making the rain on the field glitter like gold. It was absolutely breathtaking and you could hear the gasp from the crowd for what we had witnessed. The Pope came through the gates and the sun continued to shine. When he left and went out of the gates the rain came down. I will never forget that day and I will forever remember the beloved Pope John. Although he is no longer of this earth I think of all of the gloriously happy people in Heaven rejoicing in his coming home. May he rest in peace.
—Kathy Pallotta, Morristown, N.J.
Heavenly feeling
I was blessed to be in the Pope presence two times. My first was in New York at the racetrack in Queens. I was so overwhelmed I felt this was Jesus on earth. The tears came down my eyes uncontrollably. The next time I was at the Vatican for the beatification of Mother Teresa. I was on the tenth row seat from the Pope's podium. It was awesome. I felt warmth, beauty and a profound feeling of oneness with all those thousands of people who were there. Being in the presence of the Pope John Paul II makes me feel heavenly. I could not believe my eyes. I was really looking at him. He is indeed a precious gift to us Catholics and to the world. Tonight, I shall look at my photo album with pictures of the Pope that I took at the Vatican and reflect upon the life of this Holy Man.
—Marie Morgan
Eye contact
I was assigned to the security detail for the Pope's visit to Newark. At the time, my daughter was being treated for Nueroblastoma, a very nasty pediatric cancer. As the Pope mobile passed the area that I was assigned, he was blessing the crowd that had formed to meet him. As I made the sign of the cross, he looked briefly at me and we made eye contact for just a second. I felt that my daughter would be alright. Now, some nine years later, she is considered "cured". I began to walk parallel to the Popemobile for about 20-25 yards as it approached the front of the cathedral. I looked at the jumbotron Television screen that was erected and saw that I was on TV with the Pope. I went home and luckily a friend had recorded the news coverage. SO now I have a video of the Holy Father and me.
—Bill Whitley, Basking Ridge, N.J.
Powerful blessing
In September 1987, my husband of two months and I went to San Antonio to see Pope John Paul II. We were lucky to be at the end of our row, where the Pope would be going past to get to the altar to celebrate mass. As the Pope passed by us, his procession stopped and he looked out into the crowd. He seemed to look directly into my eyes, and I remember the love and gentleness emanating from him. He passed a blessing on to me and smiled, and at that moment I looked at my husband and told him that I thought I might be pregnant, even though I had had no symptoms.
The next week my doctor verified that I was indeed about two weeks pregnant. My son was born in June 30, 1988, nine months and two weeks after seeing the Pope. To this day my son is an extremely devout Catholic, and is a very strong and loving person. He seems to have the same love and gentleness is his eyes as he was blessed with so long before his birth.
I have always felt that my son would have a calling for the church, but have never stated this to him. In the past two years he has several times asked me questions about joining the seminary, which I would be so proud for him to do. So I honestly feel that not me, but by son was truly blessed by the Pope on his visit to San Antonio in 1987.
--Becky Mullican, Baytown, Texas
www.nbcnews.com
