Redzioch - Stories about Saint John Paul II

STORIES ABOUT SAINT JOHN PAUL II

told by his close friends and co-workers

Interviews with Wlodzimierz Redzioch

Translated from Italian and German by
Michael J. Miller

IGNATIUS PRESS SAN FRANCISCO

Original Italian edition
Accanto a Giovanni Paolo II: Gli amici &i collaborator raccontano

The Homily of His Holiness Benedict XVI
given on the occasion of the beatification of the Servant of God John Paul II
2011 by Libreria Editrice Vaticana

This English-language edition has been realized by arrangement with Silvia Vassena

Cover design and photo by Dan Gonzalez

2015 by Libreria Editrice Vaticana
This work is made by arrangement with Silvia Vassena Milano
2015 by Ignatius Press, San Francisco
All rights reserved
ISBN 978-1-58617-965-6 (H)
ISBN 978-1-68149-664-1 (E)
Library of Congress Control Number 2014949936
Printed in the United States of America

Spread in society,
without distinction as to race, class, culture or age,
the knowledge that we are all called to holiness.

Strive to be saints yourselves in the first place,
cultivating an evangelical style of humility and service,
of abandonment to Providence
and of constant listening to the voice of the Spirit.

In that way, you will be the salt of the earth
and your light will shine before men,
that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

John Paul II

He changed my life, too

It became increasingly clear to me that John Paul II was a saint

From Krakw to Rome to the glory of the altars

He was like the servant who went through the streets inviting everyone to the Kings banquet

He was convinced that he could offer mankind nothing better than Jesus

On his door they wrote: Future saint

The pope who looked to the laity, the friend in whom I recognized Gods faithfulness

A close friendship that started in a train on the Krakw-Lublin line

Story of a spiritual friendship

The voice of John Paul II

His constant concern? The salvation of mankind

God made him his own. That is, he was a man of God

As though seeing him who is invisible

On tour with the pope

The heroic patience of the pope as a patient

I have photographed six popes. He considered me a son

A guide, support, and example for everyone

Sanctifying everyday life

A pontificate that changed the Church

A saint, and so to be imitated

John Paul II had the last word

A voice told me to get up from bed

I feel it is my duty to testify to the gifts I received as postulator

Homily on the occasion of the beatification of John Paul II

Homily on the occasion of the canonization of Blessed John XXIII and Blessed John Paul II

HE CHANGED MY LIFE TOO

I was in Paris when Karol Wojtya became pope. I was on Saint Peters Square when Ali Agca tried to kill the pope who was changing the world. I lived close to John Paul II throughout his pontificate.

At the beginning, while it was extraordinary that a Pole should be seated on the Chair of Peter, I did not imagine the extent of Wojtyas human and spiritual greatness. But as I stayed close to him and to his collaborators, at a certain point I realized he was a saint.

The more I discovered this fact, the less I spoke about it: it seemed to me like telling a secret. Now, though, that the Church, too, has acknowledged what so many of us have understood, I feel that I can tell, through the voices of his friends and co-workers, the story of Saint John Paul II.

After completing a degree in engineering at the Polytechnic Institute in Czestochowa and courses in African Studies at the University of Warsaw, I found myself in Paris: I was thinking about becoming a lay missionary in Africa.

Never would I have imagined that the election of the first Polish pope would change my life, too. The news of Karol Wojtyas election as pope seemed to be an impossible dream, and yet it had happened. The son of ever-faithful Poland had ascended to the throne of Peter. Nor could anyone imagine that the pope would change the history of Poland, of the Church, and of the world.

After days of festivities, I returned to my normal routine of study and work, until two priest friends, Father Casimiro Przydatek, S.J., and Father Ksawery Sokolowski, were commissioned to organize a center for Polish pilgrims in Rome.

Father Sokolowski told me about the project and made a proposal of his own: Why dont you come and help us? We need trained people who know the languages. And he added: Dont forget that now the history of Poland is being made here.

I was still undecided: going to Rome would mean giving up my studies and a professional career and choosing an uncertain, unknown future. But even then the pope had made an impression on so many hearts, and on mine too, and after a few months of hesitating, I left the capital of France for that of Italy.

For years I accompanied the pilgrims who were being received in audience by John Paul II.

I spent more than thirty years in the offices of LOsservatore romano , and I associated with many, many curial officials, prefects and presidents of dicasteries, archbishops and cardinals, co-workers of the last three pontiffs.

With this book I seek to make Karol Wojtya better knownthe man, the priest, and the popethrough stories told by people who served him, who were close to him, and who helped him to write the history of the Church and of the world.

In 27 years, John Paul II made 146 apostolic journeys in Italy and 104 abroad, visiting 129 countries: 822 days of traveling. In 147 beatification ceremonies, he proclaimed 1,338 Servants of God Blessed, and in 51 canonization ceremonies he proclaimed 482 saints. He wrote 14 encyclicals, 15 apostolic exhortations, II constitutions, 45 apostolic letters, in addition to annual messages for the World Day of Peace, the World Day of the Sick, World Youth Day, and the World Day of Social Communications.

In those twenty-seven years, the Polish pope changed the world: he did it, not by relying on sophisticated political strategies, but above all because he succeeded in touching and changing the hearts of people. True and lasting changes are not possible unless they are born in peoples hearts.

In the book that you are about to read, the persons whom I interviewed tell about their encounter with Karol Wojtya, in some cases even before he became pope, in joy and in suffering, in doubt and in certainty, in health and in sickness. You will discover many previously unpublished stories and anecdotes, and you will have the opportunity to know the great heart with which Karol Wojtya loved God and mankind.

As the Pope Emeritus Remembers Him

IT BECAME INCREASINGLY CLEAR TO ME THAT
JOHN PAUL II WAS A SAINT

On the occasion of the canonization of John Paul II, the Holy Father Emeritus Benedict XVI, born Joseph Ratzinger, agreed to contribute to this volume by offering his personal remembrance of the saintly pope, his predecessor.

Your Holiness, the names of Karol Wojtya and Joseph Ratzinger are connected, for different reasons, to the Second Vatican Council. Were you already acquainted during the council?

The first encounter between Cardinal Wojtya and me that I am aware of took place only later, in the conclave in which John Paul I was elected.

During the council, we did both collaborate on the Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, but obviously on different sections, so we did not meet. In September 1978, when the Polish bishops visited Germany, I was in Ecuador as the personal representative of John Paul I. The Church of Munich and Freising is connected with the Ecuadorian Church by a twinning relationship established by Archbishop Echevarra Ruiz (Guayaquil) and Cardinal Dpfner. And so, very much to my regret, I missed the opportunity to meet the archbishop of Krakw personally. Naturally I had heard about his work as a philosopher and a pastor, and for some time I had wanted to become acquainted with him.