John Paul II's Intense Prayer Life Was Sign of Holiness. On 14 January, the Vatican press office announced that John Paul II will be beatified at the Vatican on 1st May. Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins,…More
John Paul II's Intense Prayer Life Was Sign of Holiness.
On 14 January, the Vatican press office announced that John Paul II will be beatified at the Vatican on 1st May. Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, the retired prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, explains the significance of this event:
Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, Prefect Emeritus, Congregation for the Causes of Saints
"Pope John Paul II has much to say to modern man. His pontificate was an extraordinary pontificate, he was very close to the people. Pope John Paul II was a pastor and a pastor is right beside his sheep, the sheep for whom he is shepherd."
"That's why he was so well liked by everyone, believers and nonbelievers - really because of this very human aspect during his pontificate, and this continues to be so. When the funeral took place, of course that expression "santo subito" - saint now - became famous. It was the voice of the people who admired this person, admired the virtues of the person, of Pope Wojtyla."
"The beatification, therefore, will be a very special moment of joy, not only for Christians but I think for almost all the world."
What memories do you have of Pope Wojtyla?
"I had the opportunity to be close to Pope Wojtyla for work reasons. I admired him above all for his deep faith. He had a living faith, practical, existential, not an abstract or generic faith. He expressed his faith not so much with words but with deeds, with his own life. It happened, for example, that for reasons of work, maybe you had to go to the Pope and dine with him. There were work lunches. Before going into the dining room one would visit the Blessed Sacrament in his private chapel with the other guests. I was always very impressed by the fact that when we were in the chapel, he knelt down and really immersed himself in God, and remain there not for a second or ten seconds, but for a long time, really immersed in God. I always admired the Pope's intensity of prayer, that empathy with God. It was almost an ecstasy. For me, really it was a very clear evidence of his holiness."
On 14 January, the Vatican press office announced that John Paul II will be beatified at the Vatican on 1st May. Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, the retired prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, explains the significance of this event:
Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, Prefect Emeritus, Congregation for the Causes of Saints
"Pope John Paul II has much to say to modern man. His pontificate was an extraordinary pontificate, he was very close to the people. Pope John Paul II was a pastor and a pastor is right beside his sheep, the sheep for whom he is shepherd."
"That's why he was so well liked by everyone, believers and nonbelievers - really because of this very human aspect during his pontificate, and this continues to be so. When the funeral took place, of course that expression "santo subito" - saint now - became famous. It was the voice of the people who admired this person, admired the virtues of the person, of Pope Wojtyla."
"The beatification, therefore, will be a very special moment of joy, not only for Christians but I think for almost all the world."
What memories do you have of Pope Wojtyla?
"I had the opportunity to be close to Pope Wojtyla for work reasons. I admired him above all for his deep faith. He had a living faith, practical, existential, not an abstract or generic faith. He expressed his faith not so much with words but with deeds, with his own life. It happened, for example, that for reasons of work, maybe you had to go to the Pope and dine with him. There were work lunches. Before going into the dining room one would visit the Blessed Sacrament in his private chapel with the other guests. I was always very impressed by the fact that when we were in the chapel, he knelt down and really immersed himself in God, and remain there not for a second or ten seconds, but for a long time, really immersed in God. I always admired the Pope's intensity of prayer, that empathy with God. It was almost an ecstasy. For me, really it was a very clear evidence of his holiness."
