Pope St. John Paul II

The Latest

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the tomb of St. John Paul II in St. Peter’s Basilica May 18, 2020.

Pope Francis praises St. John Paul II as man of prayer and justice

May 18, 2020

St. John Paul II was a man of prayer who was close to the people and loved justice, Pope Francis... Read more

Pope Francis waves from a window of the apostolic palace May 10, 2020.

Pope Francis: St. John Paul II is remembered with 'affection and gratitude'

May 17, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis Sunday recalled the 100th anniversary of the birth of St. Pope John Paul II, saying his predecessor is... Read more

Pope John Paul II blesses the pilgrims during the weekly general audience in Saint Peter's Square in 2004.

Polish bishops launch #ThankYouJohnPaul2 campaign for pope’s centenary 

May 16, 2020

The Polish bishops are encouraging Catholics to share their memories and witness of how St. John Paul II influenced their... Read more

 Pope John Paul II in 1996.

Full text: Benedict XVI's letter marking St. John Paul II's birth centenary

May 15, 2020

The full text of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI's letter marking the centenary of the birth of St. John Paul II. The... Read more

Pope John Paul II greets Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger during his inauguration October 22, 1978.

Benedict XVI hails John Paul II as ‘liberating restorer’ of Church

May 15, 2020

John Paul II was a “liberating restorer of the Church” in the turbulent years after the Second Vatican Council, Benedict... Read more

Pope Francis prays before the tombs of his predecessors in the grotto of St. Peter's Basilica, Nov. 2, 2015.

Pope Francis to offer Mass at tomb of John Paul II on saint’s 100th birthday

May 12, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

On the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pope St. John Paul II on May 18, Pope Francis will offer... Read more

St. John Paul II’s father, Karol Wojtyła, and mother, Emilia, with their eldest son, Edmund.

St. John Paul II’s parents’ sainthood cause has officially opened

May 7, 2020

The sainthood causes of St. John Paul II’s parents were formally opened in Poland Thursday.  Read more

Pope St. John Paul II in 1979.

Pope Francis hails St. John Paul II's 'great witness' ahead of centenary

May 5, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis said that he has looked up to St. John Paul II throughout his priesthood in a book foreword... Read more

ope John Paul II attends the Stations Of The Cross ceremony from his private chapel on March 25, 2005 in Vatican City.

John Paul II embraced his suffering with love: Cardinal reflects 15 years after saint’s death

Apr 2, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope St. John Paul II embraced suffering with love, even during his illness, a cardinal and the archpriest of St.... Read more

Pope Francis gives his Wednesday audience message on March 18, 2020.

Pope Francis: The Church’s pro-life message is more relevant than ever

Mar 25, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis said Wednesday that the Church's pro-life message is more relevant than ever as the world faces the coronavirus... Read more

St. John Paul II in St. Peter's Basilica, March 25, 1983.

Pope Francis on St. John Paul II: 'I learned from him'

Feb 13, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

In a newly published book, Pope Francis answers questions about himself and St. John Paul II, saying he learned the... Read more

St. John Paul II in St. Peter's Square circa 1978.

Polish bishops call for John Paul II to be named co-patron of Europe

Feb 5, 2020

Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki, head of the Polish Episcopal Conference, is calling for St. John Paul II to be declared a... Read more

St. John Paul II in 1978.

Pope Francis to publish a book with reflections on St. John Paul II

Jan 28, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis has co-authored a book of reflections on the life of St. John Paul II to be published in... Read more

Angelo Ciappelloni. Courtesy photo.

‘Follow me:’ How John Paul II and Benedict XVI led a Catholic back to the faith

Jan 23, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

How Angelo Ciappelloni found his faith at the funeral of John Paul II.  Read more

Pope St. John Paul II in 1979.

Polish bishops call for John Paul II to be named a doctor of the Church

Oct 22, 2019

The Polish Bishops’ Conference has asked Pope Francis to name St. John Paul II a patron of Europe and doctor... Read more

Image of Italian language edition of Christ, the Church and the World: Catechesis of the Areopagus.

'Every page was an act of prayer': New manuscript reveals devotion of St. John Paul II

Oct 9, 2019

By Courtney Mares

Newly published manuscripts belonging to Karol Wojtyła have offered a glimpse into the future pope and saint’s deep devotion and prayer... Read more

St. John Paul II in prayer, c. 1991.

9/11: When John Paul II grieved with America

Sep 11, 2019

By Mary Farrow

As three airliners smashed into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, and Flight 93 crashed into a Pennsylvania... Read more

Sen. Marco Rubio addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2014.

Put human dignity not profit first, Rubio says

Aug 27, 2019

Rubio cited Catholic Social Teaching and Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum novarum while reflecting on how profit and human concern... Read more

United Nations headquarters in New York City. Via Shutterstock

Pro-life laws are ‘extremist hate,’ UN official says

Jun 4, 2019

Efforts to restrict abortion in the U.S. have drawn strong denunciations from a senior United Nations official, who called recent pro-life... Read more

The Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia has a side chapel dedicated to St. John Paul II.

Rome’s center of Divine Mercy established by St. John Paul II

Apr 28, 2019

By Courtney Mares

Located just steps from St. Peter’s Basilica, Santo Spirito in Sassia is Rome’s official Divine Mercy church.  Read more