theleaven.com | vol. 35, no. 36 | may 2, 2014
Pope-pourri Pope Francis canonizes Popes John XXIII and John Paul II with Pope Benedict XVI in attendance, in what Italians are calling the ‘Festival of Four Popes’
Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II are made saints
Seminarians feel blessed to witness historic event
By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service
By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com
AT I C A N C I T Y (CNS) — Canonizing two recent popes in the presence of his immediate predecessor, Pope Francis praised the new Sts. 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 fidelity to its ancient traditions. “They were priests, bishops and popes of the 20th century,” the pope said April 27 in his homily 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 features 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 St. John for his best-known accomplishment, calling the Second Vatican Council, which he said “showed an exquisite openness to the Holy Spirit.” “He let himself be led, and he was for the church
rom where Luke Doyle stood preparing to watch two popes be pronounced saints, even the art and architecture of Rome seemed to celebrate the moment. Heading out early on the morning of April 27, the seminarian in his second year of theology at the Pontifical North American College in Rome joined hundreds of thousands of people on the Via della Conciliazione outside the packed St. Peter’s Square. He couldn’t help but think what the Italian architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini must have envisioned as he designed the colonnade that extends from St. Peter’s Basilica around St. Peter’s Square. “On top of the colonnade are the saints of the church, looking down on the people of God gathered below, encouraging us by their examples and praying for us as we strive to enter their ranks in heaven one day,” said Doyle. “We had gathered below them to celebrate the canonization of two of their number!” Both of those newly canonized saints — St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II — have long been heroes to many, including seminarian Agustin Martinez, also in his second year of theology at the Pontifical North American College.
V
>> See “Pope francis” on page 4
F
CNS photo/Massimo Sestini, Italian National Police via Catholic Press Photo
A large crowd is seen in and around St. Peter’s Square as Pope Francis celebrates the canonization Mass for Sts. John XXIII and John Paul II at the Vatican April 27.
>> See “seminarians” on page 5