Karol
Józef Wojty³a , known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election
to the Papacy, was born in Wadowice,
a small city 50 kilometres from Cracow,
on May 18, 1920. He was the second of two sons born to Karol Wojty³a and
Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brother Edmund, a
doctor, died in 1932 and his father,
a non-commissioned army officer died
in 1941. He made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18.
Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled
in Cracow's Jagiellonian University in 1938
and in a school for drama.
The Nazi occupation forces closed the university
in 1939 and young Karol had
to work in a quarry (1940-1944) and then in the Solvay chemical factory to
earn his
living and to avoid being deported to Germany.
In
1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in the
clandestine seminary of Cracow, run by Cardinal Adam
Stefan Sapieha,
archbishop of Cracow. At the same time, Karol Wojty³a was one of the
pioneers of the "Rhapsodic
Theatre," also clandestine.
After the Second
World War, he continued his studies in the major seminary
of Cracow, once it had re-opened, and in the faculty of theology
of the
Jagiellonian University, until his priestly ordination in Cracow on
November 1, 1946.
Soon after, Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome where he worked under the
guidance
of the French Dominican, Garrigou-Lagrange. He finished his
doctorate in theology in 1948 with a thesis on the topic
of faith in
the works of St. John of the Cross. At that time, during his vacations,
he exercised his pastoral ministry
among the Polish immigrants of
France, Belgium and Holland.
In 1948 he returned to Poland and was vicar
of various parishes in Cracow
as well as chaplain for the university students until 1951, when he took
up again
his studies on philosophy and theology. In 1953 he defended a
thesis on "evaluation of the possibility of founding
a Catholic ethic on
the ethical system of Max Scheler" at Lublin Catholic University. Later
he became professor
of moral theology and social ethics in the major
seminary of Cracow and in the Faculty of Theology of Lublin.
On July 4, 1958, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Cracow by
Pope Pius
XII, and was consecrated September 28, 1958, in Wawel Cathedral, Cracow,
by Archbishop Baziak. On January
13, 1964, he was nominated Archbishop of
Cracow by Pope Paul VI, who made him a cardinal June 26, 1967.
Besides taking part in Vatican Council II with an important contribution
to the elaboration of the Constitution Gaudium et spes, Cardinal Wojty³a
participated in all the assemblies
of the Synod of Bishops.
Since the start of his Pontificate
on October 16, 1978, Pope John Paul II
has completed 104 pastoral visits outside of Italy and 146 within Italy.
As
Bishop of Rome he has visited 317 of the 333 parishes .
His principal documents include 14 encyclicals , 15 apostolic exhortations,
11 apostolic constitutions
and 45 apostolic letters. The Pope has also
published five books : "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" (October
1994);
"Gift and Mystery: On the 50th Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination"
(November 1996); "Roman
Triptych - Meditations", a book of poems (March
2003); "Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way" (May 2004) and "Memory
and Identity"
(pubblication spring 2005).
John Paul II has presided at 147 beatification ceremonies ( 1,338 Blesseds
proclaimed ) and 51 canonization
ceremonies ( 482 Saints ) during his
pontificate. He has held 9 consistories in which he created 231 (+ 1 in
pectore)
cardinals . He has also convened six plenary meetings of the
College of Cardinals .
From 1978 to today the Holy Father has presided at 15 Synods of Bishops:
six ordinary
(1980, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1994, 2001), one extraordinary (1985)
and eight special (1980, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998
and 1999).
No other Pope has encountered so many individuals
like John Paul II: to date,
more than 17,600,000 pilgrims have participated in the General Audiences held
on Wednesdays
(more than 1,160). Such figure is without counting all other
special audiences and religious ceremonies held [more than
8 million pilgrims
during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone] and the millions of faithful
met during pastoral
visits made in Italy and throughout the world. It must
also be remembered the numerous government personalities encountered
during 38
official visits and in the 738 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State,
and even the 246 audiences
and meetings with Prime Ministers.
" Helfen - Wehren - Heilen "
