About St. John Pope II
Pope John Paul II was ordained in 1946. He was chosen as the Bishop of Ombi in 1958, and Archbishop of Krakow in 1964. In 1967, Pope Paul VI made him a cardinal. He was a firm supporter of human rights and used his political clout to effect political change. He died in Italy in 2005. It was revealed in July 2013 that he would be canonized in April of the following year.
John Paul II attempted to improve relations between the Catholic Church and Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. He tried to maintain the Church’s past views on abortion, artificial contraception, women’s ordination, and celibate clergy. While he embraced the Second Vatican Council’s reforms, he was considered conservative in his understanding of them. During his pontificate, Francis visited 129 countries which made him one of the most travelled world leaders in history.
Pope John Paul II was born in Wadowice, Poland, on May 18, 1920. His early life was filled with a lot of sorrow. His mother died when he was nine years old, and his older brother Edmund died when he was twelve.
As a child, John Paul was a gifted athlete who enjoyed skiing and swimming. He attended Krakow’s Jagiellonian University in 1938, where he studied theatre and poetry. The following year, during the German invasion of Poland, Nazi soldiers closed the institution. In order to become a priest, John Paul enrolled in a secret seminary run by the archbishop of Krakow. After WWII, he finished his theology studies at a Krakow seminary and was ordained in 1946.
In 1978, John Paul II made history by becoming the first non-Italian pope in over 400 years. As the leader of the Catholic Church, he travelled the world, visiting over 100 countries to spread his message of faith and peace. He was, however, close to home when he faced the most serious threats to his life. In 1981, an assassin shot John Paul twice in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. He ultimately recovered from his injuries and forgave his assailant.
Facts about Novena to St. John Paul II
Novena Starts: October 13th
Feast Day: October 22nd
Birth: May 18th, 1920
Death: April 2nd, 2005
Significance of Novena to St. John Paul II
Saints’ feast days are traditionally observed on the anniversary of their deaths, but John Paul II’s is observed on the anniversary of his inauguration as Pope. His feast day is celebrated on 22 October every year.
After his death, some Catholics referred to him as “St. John Paul the Great,” despite the fact that the title had no formal sanction.
Read more: St. Benedict Novena
Novena to St. John Paul II
Day 1
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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 Christ and 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 holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.
Grant us, through his intercession, <<mention your special request>>
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
Daily Prayer
Dear St. John Paul, you preached: “The future starts today, not tomorrow.” As I start these nine days of prayer with you, I thank you for reminding me that with God’s help, I can begin again, but I need to start now, not at some distant point in the future.
Your words are encouraging and inspiring to me. Please be with me as I progress through these nine days of prayer with you.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 2
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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 Christ and 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 holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.
Grant us, through his intercession, <<mention your special request>>
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
Daily Prayer
Dear St. John Paul, you preached: “I plead with you, never, ever give up on hope. Never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.” With your help, I will not give up hope. I will be trusting, confident, persistent and unafraid in prayer.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Read more: The Annunciation Novena
Day 3
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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 Christ and 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 holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.
Grant us, through his intercession, <<mention your special request>>
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
Daily Prayer
Dear St. John Paul, you preached: “Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you and therefore no harm can befall you. All is very, very well. Do this in complete faith and confidence.”
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 4
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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 Christ and 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 holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.
Grant us, through his intercession, <<mention your special request>>
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
Daily Prayer
Dear St. John Paul, just like St. Paul the Apostle who described his journey as a race, you tell me that life with Jesus is a wonderful adventure. Life is not a sprint for me, but rather a winding marathon with its curves and its ups and downs. Help me by being with me at all times as I struggle in this race toward the fullness of life in Christ.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 5
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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 Christ and 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 holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.
Grant us, through his intercession, <<mention your special request>>
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
Daily Prayer
Dear St. John Paul, you preached: “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.” Help me to be joyful in this wonderful adventure of life. Help me always to have true Christian joy in my heart, mind and spirit. Help me always to be faithful to the Will of God in my life.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Read more: Novena To Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Day 6
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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 Christ and 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 holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.
Grant us, through his intercession, <<mention your special request>>
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
Daily Prayer
Dear St. John Paul, you preached: “Love your families. Teach them the dignity of life. Teach them the ways of harmony and peace. Teach them the value of faith and prayer and goodness! Help transform the world around you by giving the best of yourselves in the service of others and your country.” Just as Christ taught us, you preached and live the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” How simple it is to hear this, but how incredibly difficult, at times, to do this. Be with me, and help me see God in my neighbor and in all those I find difficult to love or accept.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 7
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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 Christ and 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 holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.
Grant us, through his intercession, <<mention your special request>>
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
Daily Prayer
Dear St. John Paul, you preached: “The goal and target of our life is He, the Christ who awaits us – each one singly and all together – to lead us across the boundaries of time to the eternal embrace of the God who loves us.”
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 8
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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 Christ and 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 holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.
Grant us, through his intercession, <<mention your special request>>
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
Daily Prayer
Dear St. John Paul, you preached: “People are made for happiness. Rightly, then, you thirst for happiness. Christ has the answer to this desire of yours. But He asks you to trust Him. True joy is a victory, something which cannot be obtained without a long and difficult struggle. Christ holds the secret of this victory”
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 9
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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 Christ and 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 holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.
Grant us, through his intercession, <<mention your special request>>
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
Daily Prayer
Dear St. John Paul, the surest, straightest road to Christ is through His Holy Mother. When I am lost and confused in life, lead me to place myself before Our Blessed Mother, asking her to rescue me to faithfully live the spiritual path that leads to her Divine Son. Teach me to have in my heart the same great love you had for our Blessed Mother.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Read more: St. Paul Novena for Spiritual Conversion
