and the Salesian Charism
(ANS
- Rome) – On Sunday, April 27, Pope John Paul
II was declared a saint. He was born in Wadowice, Poland, on May 18, 1920, was
elected Pope on October 16, 1978, and died on April 2, 2005.
Karol
Wojtyla attended St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, the Salesian parish in Krakow, when
he resided in the Debniki neighborhood as a university tudent and then under the
German occupation in 1938-1944. He often prayed in the chapel of Mary Help of
Christians. In February 1940 at St. Stanislaus he met the Servant of God Jan
Tyranowski, who used to take part in religious meetings of young people
organized by the Salesians. In this church, on Nov. 3, 1946, Fr. Wojtyla
celebrated one of his first Masses with the faithful.
In
his long and fruitful pontificate, Pope John Paul II expressed his paternal
closeness to the Salesian Family, and he gave us many enlightened teachings.
All the most important Salesian occurrences over the years of his pontificate
were marked by his blessing, and often by his presence. This was seen
particularly on the occasion of the celebration of the centennial of Don Bosco’s
death in 1988, and the “Year of Grace”
enriched by indulgences and special gifts. On Sept. 2-4, 1988, he visited the
Salesian “holy places” – the birthplace of Don Bosco and the shrine at Colle
Don Bosco, where he beatified Blessed Laura Vicuña, the Cathedral in Chieri,
and in Turin the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, Don Bosco’s rooms, and
the church of St. Francis de Sales. On Jan. 24, 1989, he officially proclaimed
Don Bosco “Father and Teacher of Youth.”
In
his numerous meetings with the Salesians and other groups of the Salesian
Family, such as his pastoral visits to Turin, the audiences granted to the
members of general chapters and the general council, John Paul II offered an
authoritative message on the originality of our Father Don Bosco as saint and founder,
and the needs and challenges of today’s incarnation of the Salesian charism in
the educational and pastoral commitment to young people, the apostolic zeal of
evangelization and mission, and the charismatic and pastoral involvement of the
laity.
The
interventions of the Holy Father flowed simultaneously from his heartfelt
pastoral concern and personal sympathy and gratitude to Don Bosco. He admired
Don Bosco as a gift of the Spirit to the Church. He was convinced of Don Bosco’s
prophetic greatness, lived in harmony with his predilection for the young. He
admired his original methodology of education to the faith, the oratory
criterion, his sensitivity to the world of work, his openness to laity and the
involvement of women, his bold sense of universality, and affection for the
little ones and the poor and the working classes. In particular he liked to
emphasize Don Bosco’s strong devotion to Mary as helper of the Church in
difficult times.
On the
occasion of John Paul II’s canonization, we make our own his testimony and his
call to holiness. During his pontificate he reminded us of our call to holiness
through the beatification and canonization of several members of the Salesian
Family. In particular, in 2004, the last year of his life, the Pope gave the
Salesian Family a most beautiful gift when he beatified representatives of the
different branches of our Salesian Family: Fr. August Czartoryski, SDB; Sr.
Eusebia Palomino, FMA; Alexandrina Maria da Costa, a Cooperator and member of
ADMA (all three beatified on April 25, 2004, in St. Peter’s Square); and
Alberto Marvelli, a past pupil (Sept. 5, 2004, in Loreto).
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