3. A MAN FROM A FAR COUNTRY
Born in 1920
at Wadowice,
near Krakow,
Poland
4. Poland of Karol’s time
BALTIC SEA
Poland
Gulf of 0 20 40 80 MI.
Danzig 0 20 40 80 KM.
Pomeranian Gdansk Capital
Cities
Bay and 150,000 to 500,000
Towns 500,000 to 1,000,000
Bialystok
Bydogoszcz
SOVIET UNION
GERMANY
POLAND Warsaw
Lodz
Lublin
Wroclaw
Czestochowa
N Katowice
Cracow
C ZEC H O S L O V A K I A
5. FAMILY
Mother – Emily
Father – Karol
Named Karol
One older brother Edmund
6. Childhood
Attended the
elementary school.
Lost mother at age 9
Lost brother in 1932
Attended “Marcin
Wadowita” secondary
school
7. Early life
Keen on Sports
Football and Skiing
Avid theatre lover
Considered becoming
an actor
8. Worker
1940 - Earns a living and
avoids deportation and
imprisonment, as a stone
cutter in quarry at
Zakrzówek, Kraków.
1942 - Transferred to
Solvay chemical plant
9. Studies and formation
1938 - Enrolls in the Faculty
of Philosophy (course of Polish
Philosophy) at Jagellonian
University, Kraków.
Studied Theology, partly in
hiding during Nazi occupation
during World War II.
Ordained a priest at 26 in 1946.
10. Karol woytla the priest
1949 - assistant pastor
at St. Florian's
parish, Krakow.
Chaplain to the
university students(in
St. Florian's) and for
health workers.
1956 - Appointed to the Chair of Ethics at
the Catholic University of Lublin.
11. Karol woJtyla the bishop
1958 - Ordained Bishop in
the Cathedral of Wavel.
1964 - Appointed as
Archbishop of Krakow
1967 - Appointed Cardinal by Pope Paul VI in
Rome
Takes part in many synods and conferences,
gives lectures, pastoral visits to several
countries.
12. A man from a far country
Chosen to be Pope in
October 1978 following
the death of John Paul I.
Took name
John
Paul II
13. First impact
His first message
remained constantly
clear ‘Do not be
afraid…Open your
hearts wide to Jesus’
Chose Mary as the
guardian of his pontificate:
‘TOTUS TUUS’
14. LEADING THE CHURCH
Taking and looking for opportunities
to preach the Gospel and explain the
Church’s teaching on any topic.
Liturgies on many special
occasions.
Weekly audiences on
Wednesdays.
Writings
Travelling
15. jOURNEYS
In January 1979 John Paul made his
first journey as pope.
During his papacy he
made 102 journeys and
visited 129 countries
16. WRITINGS
1979 - Wrote his first Encyclical
letter ‘Redemptor Hominis’.
John Paul published:
14 Encyclicals
Apostolic letters
Books
17. A HITMAN FORGIVEN
3 bullets fired by Turk
Mehmed Ali Agca hit the
Holy Father from close
range. (13 May 1981)
Pope is severely injured but
following intense and
immediate hospital
treatment he survives.
Forgives hitman and later
visits him in prison.
18. A man of unity
Worked hard for Ecumenism and
good relations between peoples of
different Faiths.
1986 - Visited Synagogue in
Rome. Invited 60 representatives
of other faiths to Assisi for a
World Day of prayer for peace.
2000 – Visited Wailing wall in
Jerusalem.
2001 – Visited Mosque in Syria.
19. ILL HEALTH
John Paul’s last years were
marked by increasing health problems.
Tumour removed (1992)
Dislocated Shoulder (1993)
Broken femur (1994)
Appendix removed (1996)
Parkinson’s disease for
several years
20. LAST DAYS
Early in 2005 the pope suffers from
serious breathing problems and flu and
is admitted to hospital twice.
Passed away on 2 nd
April 2005 aged 84 years.
Third-longest serving
pope in Church history.
21. FAREWELL
The world mourned
Pope John Paul.
Millions paid him respects
by visiting him laying in
state in St Peter’s Basilica.
Funeral:
8th April
2005
22. HIS LEGACY
Proclaim the Gospel by any means
Dignity of the Human Being
Devotion to Our Lady
Faith in young people
A suffering servant
Work towards unity
23. Prayer
O God
You reward people who do good.
Make that your servant John Paul
whom you chose as the leader of your
Church on earth may enter and rejoice
for ever with you and the saints in
heaven.
24. † The word of God was made flesh
SOCIETAS
DOCTRINÆ
CHRISTIANÆ
Editor's Notes
Born near Krakow, (Cracow) Poland in central Europe. It was the time when Poland was ruled by the Communist party. Neighbouring USSR and other countries too where under Communist regimes which saw the Catholic Church as a treath and always oppressed it in many ways. “ 1920 May 18 Born in Wadowice (Kraków), Poland. June 20 Baptized by the military chaplain P. Franciszek Zak.Lived with his parents at Rynek 2, (now Via Koscielna 7, apt. no. 4).”
Born near Krakow, (Cracow) Poland in central Europe. It was the time when Poland was ruled by the Communist party. Neighbouring USSR and other countries too where under Communist regimes which saw the Catholic Church as a treath and always oppressed it in many ways.
“ Growing up Karol Wojtyla (top right, in black coat) was to be the youngest pope ordained in the 20th Century. He grew up in the southern Polish village of Wadowice, the son of an army sergeant. He had a strict, devout upbringing. His mother and brother died before he was 14. As a young man he enjoyed sports, including soccer and skiing, and had a love of acting and the theatre. He was still a teenager in 1939 when German tanks invaded Poland. Attended the elementary school for boys, and then the prep years of secondary school "Marcin Wadowita" in which during all his classes he achieved the top grades.”
“ 1938 May Receives the Sacrament of Confirmation. May 14 Completes leaving exams at Secondary School. June 22 Enrolls in the Faculty of Philosophy (course of Polish Philosophy) at Jagellonian University, Kraków. Summer He and his father move to Kraków (Via Tyniecka 10). Academic Year 1938-39 While studying at University he joins the "Studio 38", experimental theater group founded by Tadeusz Kudliński. 1942 Spring Transferred to Solvay chemical plant . October Begins clandestine studies for the priesthood in Kraków's underground seminary; registers in the Faculty of Theology of the Jagellonian University. 1943 March Takes the lead role of "Samuel Zborowski" by Juliusz Słowacki making his first appearance on the theatrical scene. It is also his last appearance in the world of theater (Clandestinely; they preform in the house of a group of friends).”
“ He earns a living and forestalls deportation and imprisonment, as a stone cutter in quarry at Zakrzówek, Kraków. 1942 Spring Transferred to Solvay chemical plant. October Begins clandestine studies for the priesthood in Kraków's underground seminary; registers in the Faculty of Theology of the Jagellonian University.
“ 1946 October 13 Sub-diaconate. October 20 Diaconate. November 1 Ordained a priest. As on the preceding occasions, he received Holy Orders from the hands of Archbishop Metropolitan Adam Sapieha in his private chapel. November 2 Celebrates his first Mass in the crypt of St. Leonard at Wavel. November 15 Leaves Poland to begin studies in Rome. November 26 Registers at the Angelicum University.”
“ Young priest During World War II and the Nazi occupation he worked as a labourer, studying theology in secret. In 1944 following a crackdown on religious teaching he was forced into hiding. Many of his friends went to concentration camps. Continuing his studies after the war, he was ordained a priest in 1946. By 1964 he was Archbishop of Krakow and three years later he became a cardinal. During these years he gained respect for his stand against Poland's Communist regime.”
“ Leaves for Rome to participate in the first session of the Second Vatican Council (October 11 - December 8). 1963 October 6 - December 4 Participates in the II Session of the Second Vatican Council. 1963 December 30 Designated Metropolitan Bishop of Kraków. 1964 January 13 Papal Bull for the appointment of Archbishop of Kraków. March 8 Installation ceremony 1967 June 28 Consecrated Cardinal in the Sistine Chapel, by Pope Paul VI - titular S. Cesareo in Palatio..”
Karol Wojtyla became the first polish pope in Church history on the 16 th October 1978. His election followed the sudden death of John Paul I, his predecessor who had a very short pontificate of just 33 days. In remembrance of his predecessor he chose the name John Paul, also in gratitude to Pope John XXIII and Paul IV who had appointed Wojtyla bishop and Cardinal respectively. Wojtyla was also the first non-Italian pope for almost 500 years and the youngest of the 20 th century. “ Man of action Karol Wojtyla was an unexpected choice for pope when he was elected in 1978, aged 58. He was the first non-Italian for 450 years and was seen as an outsider for the job. He took the name John Paul II. One of his first visits was to Poland - the first papal visit to a nation under Communist rule. But his tour gave strength to people and helped sow the seeds of the revolution that would come 10 years later. After two frail predecessors he was seen as a man of action.”
Pope John Paul soon caught people’s attention. His first message on the same day as his election ‘Do not be afraid… ‘ was one that touched the hearts of many – from simple Catholics to leaders of states and those suffering under dictatorial regimes. Many argue that his appeal inspired people in his own native country Poland to start the peaceful revolution that gave rise to the fall of the Communist system in so many eastern European countries. In honour of our Lady, mother of God, Pope John Paul chose as his motto ‘Totus Tuus’ – I’m all yours – thus expressing his intention to put his pontificate under the protection of the Holy mother of whom so many Catholics, but particularly polish people are so fond of. His coat of arms simply shows a big cross and the letter M for Mary.
“ World tours Security around the Pope was tightened in the wake of the 1981 attempt on his life. His regular foreign tours gave the world a new word - Popemobile. The glass-sided, bullet-proof cars, from which John Paul II stood and waved to the crowds, became a familiar sight. “
“ Assassination attempt John Paul II went on to become the most widely travelled pope in history. Advisers warned that his growing influence could make him an assassination target, but he kept up the pace of public appearances. On 13 May 1981 he was shot and seriously wounded by a hired would-be killer in St Peter's Square. He is pictured here just moments before the shooting. Forgiveness After a long recovery he met the Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca and offered forgiveness. In May 2000 the Vatican revealed that in 1917 three children in Portugal had seen a prophetic vision of the assassination attempt. This was the so-called third secret of Fatima - kept secret for decades - which was revealed to coincide with a visit by the Pope to the shrine of Fatima. He believed the Virgin of Fatima had saved his life.”
“ Ill health In his last years Pope John Paul II was dogged by arthritis and Parkinson's Disease. In 1992, he had a large tumour removed from his intestine. He had a hip replacement operation in April 1994 and on a trip to France in 1996 he collapsed. But he continued to travel widely. In January 1998 the Pope visited Cuba and was greeted by Fidel Castro, the Communist leader of a traditionally Roman Catholic country.
