By Mark Zimmermann Catholic News Service WASHINGTON - As a 37 year old priest, then-Fr Donald W Wuerl witnessed the election of Pope John Paul II in 1978, as reportedly the only non-Cardinal allowed into that conclave. The book Cardinal Donald Wuerl wrote inspired by Pope John Paul II. Photo: CNS He was priest-secretary to US Cardinal John Wright, who was then in frail health...

ROME (CNS) - At the door of the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum University, priests and seminarians prepared to welcome former Vatican officials and other important guests. Inside the auditorium, the rector checked the final details of the three hour long multimedia tribute to Pope John Paul II. Fr Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, greets Pope John Paul II in...

By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The Vatican released a three-day schedule of events for the beatification of Pope John Paul II, and warned against people selling counterfeit tickets to the beatification liturgy, which is free and open to all. Pope Benedict XVI will preside over the beatification Mass at 10 am on 1 May in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican said. Immediately after Mas...

ROME, Italy (CNA/EWTN News) - Seventy years ago this week, Karol Wojtyla was “pushed” forward in his vocation by the death of the last member of his close family. Gian Franco Svidercoschi and Pope John Paul II The anniversary was recalled on Italy’s national television channel RaiUno on 13 February by Italian journalist and writer Gian Franco Svidercoschi, who w...

By Anthony Barich OVER 200 Perth Polish Catholic youth are continuing Pope John Paul II’s ‘philosophy of drama’ with a large-scale production that teaches them the deeper things of life. A scene from a production performed by Polish Catholic youth - the Oolish play Balladyna by Juliusz Slowacki inspired by Shakespeare’s Midsummer night’s dream and Lady Macb...

By Anthony Barich PERTH’S Polish Catholic community contributed over $5,000 to build what may well be the world’s first church named after Pope John Paul II. Franciscan missionary Fr Piotre Rzucidlo, with blue hat, with Aitape locals in ceremonial dress, when the John Paul II church was opened, with Franciscan Krakow Provincial Fr Nikodem Gdyk, with brown hat. Photo: Courte...

By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service WASHINGTON - The news of Pope John Paul II’s upcoming beatification was welcomed by many as a confirmation of something they already felt from the moment the shouts of “Santo subito!” (“Sainthood now!”) reverberated through St Peter’s Square at the Pontiff’s funeral. Mourners hold banners that read &quo...

By John Thavis Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI approved a miracle attributed to Pope John Paul II’s intercession, clearing the way for the late Pope’s beatification on 1 May, Divine Mercy Sunday. Pope Benedict’s action on 14 January followed more than five years of investigation into the life and writings of the Polish Pontiff, who died in April 200...

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY - A presumed miracle needed for the beatification of the late Pope John Paul II reportedly has reached the final stages of approval. An Italian journalist reported that the process of approving a miracle in the sainthood cause of Pope John Paul II is so far along that the late Pontiff could be beatified this year. He is pictured durin...

MADRID, Spain (CNA) - The postulator of Pope John Paul II’s cause for beatification has said that the process is currently at a crucial moment as miracles attributed to the late Pontiff’s intercession are being investigated. Polish Mgr Slawomir Oder in Rome in 2007 when he gave details on the investigation into the healing of a French nun, whose spontaneous recovery from Park...