Servants of the Servant

My friends at the Dundalk (Ireland) JPII Prayer Group have set up a great new blog page.  Check it out and show your support for one of the ONLY prayer groups on the web: http://jp2dundalk.blogspot.com/

Just ran across this interesting bit of JPII “trivia”…. the lighting of a Christmas tree at the Vatican was:

“part of a tradition begun by Pope John Paul II in 1982.  John Paul, who died in 2005, introduced the custom - originating in northern and eastern Europe, including the pontiff’s native Poland - of erecting and lighting Christmas trees at the Vatican. The Christmas tree tradition was alien to Italians until recently.”

Full article here: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/158902.html

Thinking about starting a JPII prayer group? 

Here are a few suggestions about what you can do once your group is formed:

- Basic biography study.  Learn about his life… he was born May 18, 1920 and Died April 2, 2005… and all you have to do (as a group) is learn what happened in between!

-Focus on the devotion to his Cause… this can be done in prayer and the promotion of his Cause in your local area

-Join your prayer group to devotions that were important to JPII: He venerated Saint Jadwiga (Feast 10-16).  He wore an “old Brown Scapular” that he said was “a help and defense in times of danger, a seal of peace and a sign of Mary’s care…” (cf Peggy Noonan).  He wrote his Doctoral thesis on St. John of the Cross.  He desired to become a contemplative Carmalite but was directed by his archbishop to become a parrish priest.  Contemplate his motto of “Totus Tuus”.  His devotion to our Lady of Fatima. etc.etc.

-Study his writings, from the Angelus talks to his many Encyclical letters.

-Most important would be frequent Mass attendance/praying the Rosary/Eucharistic adoration/Confession…. a life of prayer in Communion with the Church would be the greatest testimony to your love of our dear Papa.

“Man achieves the fullness of prayer not when he expresses himself, but when he lets God be most fully present in prayer.”  Easter Mass 2003

Please send me an email if your group is doing something you’d like to share with others… and let me how you are doing out there.

I pray you all have a blessed Advent season.

John Paul, pray for us.