Habemus Papam

"We have a pope. " Thirty years ago today, Karol Wojtyla was elected to the See of Peter. In this YouTube video, Cardinal Felici announces "Habemus Papam--We have a pope." Here is the text of what he says and the English translation:

Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum:
Habemus Papam!
Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum,
Dominum Karlum,
Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem Wojtyla,
Qui sibi nomen imposuit [Johannus Paulus II].

In English, it reads:

I announce to you a great joy:
We have a Pope!
The most eminent and most reverend Lord,
Lord Karol,
Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church [Wojtyla],
Who takes to himself the name of John Paul II.

Unlike the election of Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict, after Pope John Paul II's first name (Karlum--Karl) was announced, the crowd was silent--most of them didn't know who he was. They didn't expect the Cardinal from Poland to be elected the first non-Italian pope since 1523.

I remember hearing the announcement over the PA system in my high school as we were getting ready to leave for the day. Most of us didn't know who he was either. So much in the world changed during his papacy. I don't think most of us had any inkling of the magnitude at the time.

God has blessed us in Pope John Paul II and in Pope Benedict.

St. Joseph the Worker

Today is the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. I can't help but think of our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II on this day because of his role in the toppling of communism during his tenure as pope and his support of the Solidarity Movement in Poland.

St. Joseph, the worker, Pray for us!

Servant of God, Pope John Paul II,
Pray for us!

In Memoriam

I've been meaning to post about the anniversary of Pope John Paul II's death. The comments on Shrine of the Holy Whapping ask who do we turn to to find what holiness looks like now that both John Paul II and Mother Teresa have died? Good question. They were excellent modern examples of holiness in the Church and a true counter cultural sign within the Church and, of course, the world.

Both these pictures are from the above mentioned blog as well. To continue our rose theme, this beautiful white rose was cultivated in honor of the late Holy Father, and is called the John Paul II rose.

You can almost smell the heavenly fragrance.

But thanks be to God
Who always leads us in His triumph in Christ
and manifests through us
the fragrance of the knowledge of Him”
~2 Co. 2:14

John Paul II, Rest in Peace!