The Catholic Church Has Two New Saints

The Canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II

As a Catholic and, having seen Pope John Paul II in person 

in Chicago in October of 1979, 

I was excited to experience 

the canonization of him and Pope John XXIII, 

albeit via TV.

My 19 year-old daughter, 

a close teacher friend from St. Lawrence Elementary School 

and I rode the train to Chicago 

to be part of the sea of people congregated in Grant Park. 

Pope John Paul II greeted 

the worshipers in several different languages. 

There upon he celebrated the Mass 

with more than 350 bishops from North America.  

I think that I surely was not the only person there 

who felt the sensation of goose bumps developing on one’s skin. 

I felt the same phenomenon 

when Pope Francis declared the canonization 

of these two beloved popes.

Pope Francis greeting
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

one of three petitions
for the canonization
of Popes John XXIII
and John Paul II

relics of the new saints

The majority of the photos I am sharing here

 are the result of my snapping pictures 

from the live feed from St. Peter’s Square.  

Two were scanned from my Commemorative Album.

The banner photo is my own taken in our parish rectory entrance.

ABC Wednesday: Jesuits

Our ladies’ group, Women at the Well, 

is reading this book by a Jesuit priest Father James Martin.  

Since we meet only once a month 

and do not meet in the summer, 

we will continue to read this interesting book into 2015.  

Father Martin relates the saints’ lives, 

as well as those who led saintly, holy lives, 

and how they have impacted his own life.  

The saints or saintly that we have encountered thus far are these:

The Saint of the Sock Drawer- Jude

Joan of Arc

Thomas Merton

Ignatius of Loyola

Pedro Arrupe

Bernadette Soubirous

And for April, we are reading about these:

Mother Teresa

Pope John XXIII

 Then some of our ladies 

share the history and spirituality of each saint 

we have studied with their own unique presentations.  

We are fortunate to have such industrious 

and interesting speakers in our group.

I highly recommend this book 

for its spiritual value 

as well as its entertaining way of sharing 

the lives of these faith-filled people 

whose journey we may choose to emulate.

linking to 

ABC Wednesday

hosted by

the inimitable and founding blogger,

Mrs. Nesbitt

Mornings with Mary: Prayer by Pope John XXIII

marigolds
diminutive flow'rs
for Mary

Prayer of Pope John XXIII 

Love of Mary

Holy Immaculate Mary, help all who are in trouble.  

Give courage to the faint-hearted,

console the sad, heal the infirm, 

pray for the people, intercede for the clergy, 

have a special care for nuns;

may all feel, all enjoy your kind and powerful assistance,

all who now and always render you honor,

 and will offer you their petitions.

Hear all our prayers, O Mother, and grant them all.  

We are all your children; 
grant the prayers of your children.

Amen forever.

lovingly linked to Rebecca's 
Mornings with Mary