NOVENA to St John Paul the Great: DAY FOUR – 16 OCTOBER
Little Known Fact #4: In his second assignment as a newly ordained priest, Father Karol Wojtyla took a new approach to training altar boys. He would hold frequent evenings of instruction, whereby one priest would give catechesis to the boys while another priest taught the parents educational psychology as well as catechesis in the liturgy. In addition to these meetings, Father Wojtyla and the other parish priests would take the boys on outings. This model proved to be a great success as the number of altar boys went from 10 in 1946 to 100 in 1952.
REFLECTION: ” In the first years of his pontificate, still young and full of energy, the Holy Father went to the very ends of the earth, guided by Christ. But afterwards, he increasingly entered into the communion of Christ’s sufferings; increasingly he understood the truth of the words: “Someone else will fasten a belt around you.” And in this very communion with the suffering Lord, tirelessly and with renewed intensity, he proclaimed the Gospel, the mystery of that love which goes to the end (cf Jn 13:1).” – Pope Benedict
Let us Pray:
O Holy Trinity, we thank You for having given to the Church Pope John Paul II and for having made him shine with Your fatherly tenderness, the glory of the Cross of Christand the splendour of the Spirit of love.
He, trusting completely in Your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession of Mary, has shown himself in the likeness of Jesus the Good Shepherd and has pointed out to us the way of holiness as the path to reach eternal communion with You Grant us, through his intercession, according to Your will, the grace that we implore,
………………….. [state your intention here].
Continue, beloved St John Paul, we implore you, to sustain from heaven the faith of God’s people. We praise and thank You Father that St John Paul has been numbered among Your saints and make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever.
Totus Tuus, Amen
Quote Day Four: “A society will be judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members; and among the most vulnerable are surely the unborn and the dying.”
AnaStpaul 