Pope Francis announced Friday, July 5, 2013 that he has approved the cause for canonization of two of his venerable and much loved predecessors Blessed John XXIII and Blessed John Paul II.
Pope John Paul II, whose Petrine ministry lasted for 26 years (Oct. 16, 1978 – April 2, 2005), was one of the most the Church’s most beloved Pope’s in modern times. He established the First World Youth Day in 1986, was instrumental in the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1989 and with the Church’s New Evangelization movement that began at the eighth World Youth Day in Denver in 1993.
Pope John Paul II declared the Year of the Rosary from October 2002 – 2003, bringing a new attention and sparking a renewed devotion to the Rosary. On many occasions, the Holy Father recited the famous slogan by Fr. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.: “The family that prays together stays together.” Before he died on 3 June 1992, Fr. Peyton had circled the globe and spoken to over 28 million people in person at Rosary crusades (In June of 2001, the formal Cause of Canonization was introduced at the Vatican and Fr. Peyton received the title “Servant of God.”). Pope John Paul II himself traveled hundreds of thousands of miles in his Papacy ministering to millions in visiting every inhabited continent in more than 100 trips outside Italy.
Blessed John Paul has a close connection to the Congregation of Holy Cross’ own religious whose causes for sainthood are currently underway:
- Pope John Paul II declared Holy Cross Fr. Basil Moreau, C.S.C., Venerable on April 12, 2003;
- Pope John Paul II also beatified Br. Andre Bessette, C.S.C., on May 23, 1982. Br. Andre was later canonized on Oct. 17, 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.
Read more about the Congregation’s other religious’ Causes for Sainthood.
Read a reflection on Pope Paul II written by Rev. Hugh Cleary, C.S.C., former superior general of the Congregation of Holy Cross, when he was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI, on the May 1, 2011.
