Congratulations to Carol—winner of the giveaway of Cardinal Dolan’s talk from the 2011 Living the Catholic Faith Conference: The Four Pillars in the Life of Pope John Paul II.
I’d like to share Carol’s comment about Blessed John Paul II:
Unfortunately, I was not “in-tuned” with my faith when beloved John Paul was pope, so I feel like I missed so much because of my ignorance. I now know what a great, and truly special Pope he was. An amazing man, really. I would LOVE to learn more about him. You know, to make up for lost time. Just say’n!
I feel exactly the same way. I wasn’t tuned it either. I regret not paying closer attention when JPII was alive, and missing the opportunity to attend World Youth Day 1993 in Denver [I was only 9 hours away, in Kansas City!]. But we’re fortunate his legacy of love and discipleship lives on, and we can all continue to learn from him today.
Thank you, Carol, for your comments, and to Santhe and Deanne for sharing yours as well! For anyone interested in listening to the talk [which is awesome, by the way, you will LOVE it], I’m happy to loan you my copy, or you can purchase one here. {{FYI, the talk title listed on the website is incorrect, though that *was* his originally-planned talk.}}
Wishing you all a “holy” Holy Week and Easter!
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Read my 2011 interview with then-Archbishop Dolan here
[it's brief, his schedule allowed 3 minutes!]
Read a recent Newsweek article about Cardinal Dolan here
I’m a wife, mother of two (8 and 5), and reporter for the Denver Catholic Register newspaper. I love to write and can't believe I get to do it for a living.
I was in Essex, Vermont nursing my 3 mo old baby Rachel and amazed how close (yet how far) WYD was for me to actually attend. I was so moved by the the Mass and events I was watching, I grabbed a VHS (remember those) and started taping. I didn’t leave my couch. Rachel and I watched for hours. Of my 3 children, Rachel, my youngest, has fully embraced JP II’s New Evangelization – she knows she has a place in this time of Church history! It dawned on me recently that the Holy Spirit is not hindered by place or time – there was no physical distance between JP II and WYD93 for us. Rachel and I WERE there!!
By: Gina Lanz on April 5, 2012
at 5:26 pm
We love JPII In our home! So much so that our 2nd daughter, Caroline, is named after him and although he’s not a canonized saint yet, he is her patron saint. I was only in 2nd grade when he was in Denver for World Youth Day and begged my parents to attend the big event at Cherry Creek park – alas they didn’t feel comfortable with taking an 8 year old. They left me home that day as they attended and my sisters were there already camping out with STM Youth Group. Lil’ 8 year old me watched the entire TV coverage and mass, home alone (that was allowed back then?! I guess so :-]… ), and was enthralled the entire day. I didn’t understand his great theological benefit to the church at that age, but I felt his love, the love of Christ, in him. Blessed Pope John Paul the II is so special in my heart! Thanks for the posts and link to purchase the talk!
By: Alexandra on April 4, 2012
at 10:46 am