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Sooner Catholic soonercatholic.org May 4, 2014 www.archokc.org Go Make Disciples Pope Francis, with retired pope, canonizes Saints John XXIII and John Paul II By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Canonizing two recent popes in the presence of his immediate predecessor, Pope Francis praised the new Saints John XXIII and John Paul II as men of courage and mercy, who responded to challenges of their time by modernizing the Catholic Church in fi delity to its ancient traditions. “They were priests, bishops and popes of the 20th century,” the pope said April 27 in his hom- ily during Mass in St. Peter’s Square. “They lived through the tragic events of that century, but they were not overwhelmed by them. For them, God was more powerful.” “John XXIII and John Paul cooperated with the Holy Spirit in renewing and updating the church in keeping with her original features, those fea- tures which the saints have given her throughout the centuries,” he said. Speaking before a crowd of half a million that included retired Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis praised Saint John for his best-known accom- plishment, calling the Second Vatican Council, Pope Francis kisses the relic of St. John XXIII presented by Father Ezio Bolis, director of the Pope John XXIII Foun- which he said “showed an exquisite openness to dation, during the canonization Mass for Sts. John and John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 27. the Holy Spirit.” (CNS photo/Paul Haring) “He let himself be led, and he was for the 2013, Pope Francis’ concelebrants included some blood, taken from him for medical testing shortly church a pastor, a servant-leader,” the pope said 150 cardinals and 700 bishops. before his death in 2005. of Saint John. “This was his great service to the Pope Benedict did not join the procession of The Mass took place under cloudy skies with church. I like to think of him as the pope of open- bishops at the start of Mass, but arrived half temperatures in the low 60s, and only a sprinkle ness to the Spirit.” an hour earlier, wearing white vestments and a of rain fell just before the 10 a.m. start of the lit- Pope Francis characterized Saint John Paul as bishop’s miter and walking with a cane; he sat in urgy. Huge tapestries bearing portraits of the two the “pope of the family,” a title he said the late a section of the square designated for cardinals. saints hung from the facade of the basilica, and pope himself had hoped to be remembered by. Pope Francis greeted his predecessor with an em- the square was decorated with 30,000 roses and Pope Francis said he was sure Saint John Paul brace at the start of the Mass, drawing applause other fl owers donated by the nation of Ecuador. was guiding the church on its path to two upcom- from the crowd, and approached him again at the The square and the broad Via della Concili- ing synods of bishops on the family, to be held at end. azione leading up to it were tightly packed with the Vatican this October and in October 2015. During the canonization ceremony, which took approximately half a million pilgrims, many of The pope invoked the help of the two new papal place at the beginning of the Mass, devotees car- whom had been standing for hours before the saints for the synods’ success, and he prayed, ried up relics of the new saints in matching silver start of Mass. Among the many national fl ags on “May both of them teach us not to be scandalized reliquaries, which Pope Francis kissed before they display, the majority were from Poland, the native by the wounds of Christ and to enter ever more were placed on a small table for veneration by the land of Saint John Paul. deeply into the mystery of divine mercy, which al- congregation. The Vatican estimated that 800,000 attend- ways hopes and always forgives because it always Saint John’s relic was a piece of the late pope’s ed the ceremony in Rome, with overfl ow crowds loves.” skin, removed when his body was transferred watching on giant-screen TVs set up at various Pope Francis has said the agenda for the family to its present tomb in the main sanctuary of St. locations around the city. The 2011 beatifi ca- synods will include church teaching and practice Peter’s Basilica. tion of Pope John Paul drew more than 1 million on marriage, areas Floribeth Mora Diaz, a Costa Rican woman people, according to Italian police estimates at the he has said exemplify whose recovery from a brain aneurysm was rec- time. a particular need for ognized by the church as a miracle attributable to The Vatican said 93 countries sent offi cial mercy in the church the intercession of Saint John Paul, brought up delegations to the Mass, and more than 30 of the today. a silver reliquary containing some of the saint’s The pope repeatedly delegations were led by a president or prime min- mentioned mercy in ister. The king and queen of Spain and the king his homily, which he and queen of Belgium were in attendance. delivered on Divine Pope Francis spent half an hour personally Mercy Sunday, an greeting the delegations following the Mass. He observance Saint then rode in his popemobile through the square John Paul put on the and adjacent avenue, drawing cheers and ap- church’s universal plause from the crowds, for about 20 minutes calendar in 2000. The until disappearing at the end of the street. Polish pope died on The canonizations of both popes came after ex- the vigil of the feast in traordinary measures by their successors to expe- 2005 and was beati- dite the process. Pope Benedict waived the usual fi ed on Divine Mercy fi ve-year waiting period before the start of a saint- Sunday in 2011. hood cause for Pope John Paul shortly after his In addition to Pope death, when he was mourned by crowds shouting Benedict, making “Santo subito!” (“A saint at once!”). In the case Two popes at the cannization of two popes. Pope Emer- only his third public of Saint John, Pope Francis waived the usual itus Benedict XVI embraces Pope Francis. (CNS pho- appearance since he to/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters) requirement of a second miracle before a blessed resigned in February can added to the church’s canon of saints. 2 May 4, 2014 Sooner Catholic Sooner Catholic Offi cial Assignments May 4, 2014 3 Put Out Into the Deep 2014 Priest Assignments Luke 5:4 Exclusively on Vocations fl ourish best the website Effective July 1 (or when otherwise noted) By Sooner Catholic Staff Retirement Associate Pastor Fr. Michael Chapman Fr. Christopher Brashears when nurtured at home Additional coverage of Live at Holy Angels, Oklahoma City Christ the King, Oklahoma City This year, the annual celebration of Good Shepherd family is the ideal semi- Church and archdiocesan Sunday will have a special resonance and splendor. nary, or “seedbed,” to cul- Assignment begins on July 14 and continues until he returns to Rome It comes in the wake of the canonization of two very tivate and foster this gift. news and events, only on in the fall. good shepherds, Saint John Paul II and Saint John This Mother’s Day, as www.soonercatholic.com: XXIII. It will also coincide this year with Mother’s Day. we observe the World Day Good Shepherd Sunday is observed on the Fourth of Prayer for Vocations, I On April 29, an execution Sunday of Easter because the Gospel for that Sun- am particularly mindful of of a convicted killer utiliz- day portrays Jesus as the Good Shepherd who “lays the important role that my Archbishop Paul S. Coakley ing a new three-drug lethal down his life for his sheep.” The Church throughout injection protocol went awry own mother had in my vocation. Our family was not Pastor Associate Pastor the world annually observes this day in McAlester, Okla. Read extraordinary in any way. We were Fr. Billy Lewis Fr. Linh Bui as the World Day of Prayer for Voca- Archbishop Paul Coakley’s very ordinary Catholics. I remem- St. Joseph, Ada (St. Francis Xavier, Sulphur) St. John the Baptist, Edmond tions. We pray in a particular way for ber learning my prayers kneeling at statement on this unprec- vocations to the priesthood; for good my bedside as a small child with my edented use of the death Assignment begins on July 21. shepherds. We pray for our seminar- mom and dad. We attended Mass penalty at www.archokc. ians. We pray that God will continue every Sunday and our parents were org. to call from our midst many more active in occasional church activi- young men with generous hearts who ties and organizations. Beyond that, Read additional commen- are willing to become servants formed there was nothing special about our tary about the Church’s by the mind and heart of Christ. religious observance. But it was two newest saints at www. Every vocation is a precious gift my mother who every now and then soonercatholic.com. Pastor Associate Pastor from God. God calls each of us by posed the question, “Have you ever Fr. Rusty Hewes Fr. Cristobal De Loera name. He calls each of us to become thought about being a priest?” Hon- View additional photos Holy Angels, Oklahoma City St.