Pope John XXIII: The Good Pope

by Wyatt North

  It was Vatican II, however, that provided an organized forum for working out policy towards Jews and other non-Catholics, including Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and non-Catholic Christians. Historically, preparations for the council occurred concurrently with the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem (1961). Adolph Eichmann was considered to be the architect of Hitler’s “Final Solution,” and media coverage of his 14-week trial brought to the public ongoing, horrific, and vivid testimony about the inhumanity that had occurred only a few years earlier. While some Catholics preferred to focus on the extent to which Catholics had rendered aid to Jews, others were engaged in intense soul-searching about the history of Catholic animosity (and Christian animosity in general) toward Jews that had helped give rise to modern anti-Semitism.

  Accordingly, Nostra Aetate may be the most notable document to emerge from Vatican II, albeit after John’s death, because it altered Catholic perceptions of the Jewish people forever. Mindful of the “spiritual patrimony” shared by Christians and Jews, it overturned 2,000 years of Church history by stating:

  “The Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures{MISSING SYMBOL}Furthermore, in her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel’s spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.”

  These and other such statements resulted in a complete, systematic overhaul of Catholic textbooks and approaches to teaching about non-Catholics. Most importantly, Nostra Aetate removed the charge of deicide and caused this and other such historical distortions to be removed from Catholic liturgy and teachings. Under Pope Paul VI, Nostra Aetate was followed in January 1975 by Guidelines for the Implementation of Nostra Aetate No. 4. These guidelines were a further advance over Nostra Aetate because they referenced the Holocaust and also Judaism’s ongoing religious tradition beyond the destruction of Jerusalem. (Christianity has often treated Judaism as though its viability ended at that point.) The guidelines included other important points as well. What they still failed to acknowledge was the centrality of the land of Israel within Jewish belief.

  Pope John had paved the way for Nostra Aetate by charging Cardinal Bea with the task of crafting a statement on Catholic–Jewish relations and seeking Jewish viewpoints about the subject. The door was thus opened for Catholic–Jewish engagement. Pope John fully supported Cardinal Bea’s activities in the face of intense religious opposition from conservative elements within the Church and politically motivated opposition from Arab governments outside it. Nevertheless, the “Declaration on the Jews” drafted by Cardinal Bea was shelved for the duration of Pope John’s lifetime. Pope John died only two months after the first session of Vatican II. The subject would be taken up again only thereafter.

  Death

  In his will dated September 12, 1961, Pope John spoke confidently of “Sister Death.” Sadly, this sweet, loving man would not know an easy death, but there is no question that he would have dedicated his suffering to heaven and made it an atonement for his flock. In September 1962 Pope John was diagnosed with stomach cancer. There had been intermittent signs of illness during the preceding eight months. Now the diagnosis was kept from the public, but the pope grew increasingly wan while his public appearances diminished. His pain at times was excruciating.

  Even while undergoing his final trial, Pope John helped eased the tensions of the Cuban Missile Crisis when he offered to mediate between President Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev at the end of 1962. Both parties appreciated the gesture.

  In January 1963, Pope John was Time’s Man of the Year because of his “New Pentecost” that was reorienting the Church towards the modern world.

  Pope John made what would be his last public appearance on May 11, 1963, when Italian president Antonio Segni awarded him with the Balzan Prize for his work on behalf of peace. He attended despite being in tremendous pain. On May 25, he experienced hemorrhaging and received blood transfusions. The cancer, however, had perforated the stomach wall, causing peritonitis. The pope’s assistant, Loris Capovilla, told him that the cancer “had done its work,” and nothing could be done. The pope’s remaining siblings rallied around him.

  On May 31, Pope John spoke what are considered his final words: “I had the great grace to be born into a Christian family, modest and poor, but with the fear of the Lord. My time on earth is drawing to a close. But Christ lives on and continues his work in the Church. Souls, souls, That they might all be one [Ut omnes unum sint].” The Papal Sacristan then performed the final unction but became so emotional that he forgot the correct order for anointing. The pope gently guided him. Pope John XXIII died at 7:49 p.m. Roman time on June 3, 1963, just as a mass for him was finishing below in Saint Peter’s Square below. He was 81 years old.

  Pope John was proud of his peasant origins. At his death, he wanted the same honor as that which was bestowed on Pius X: that people could say of him he was born poor and died poor. He believed poverty to be the first duty of anyone following Jesus (“Letter of Pope John XXIII ‘Il Tempio Massimo’ to Women Religious,” July 2, 1962). Accordingly, when he bequeathed to his surviving family members the whole of his worldly wealth, it amounted to less than $20 apiece. He was buried beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. Two wreaths were lovingly donated by prisoners in Italian jails.

  At the time Pope John was elected, another candidate had been the Archbishop of Milan, Giovanni Battista Montini. Archbishop Montini, however, had not yet been named a cardinal, and the College of Cardinals usually chose someone from among their own number. Upon his election, Pope John quickly rectified the situation; he elevated Montini to a cardinal only one month after he became pope. With the death of Pope John, Cardinal Montini became his successor, Pope Paul VI. He quickly affirmed that he would continue the process begun by Pope John.

  Legacy

  John XXIII was nicknamed “The Good Pope” because of his humble, loving, and open character and his gracious sense of humor. In possessing those attributes, he is viewed by many to be similar to Pope Francis today. Like Pope Francis, Pope John was wont to stroll about Rome by night and make pastoral visits to sick children and prison inmates. John’s secretary, the Italian prelate Loris Capovilla, heard the news from Pope Francis himself and remarked how appropriate it was for the step to be taken by “the successor most similar” to John. “He reminds me in every way of John XXIII: in his gestures, in his attention to the poor…He has the same humility and mildness of heart as John XXIII, who was a wise and enlightened father who spoke to the human family that is torn apart by opposing interests and by senseless and sometimes implacable dislikes.”

  The crowning feature of John’s papacy was his calling the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) into existence. The Council would revise the Church’s rituals and doctrines, reach out to other faiths in dialogue and good will, and raise the status of lay people. Pope Francis has explained the significance of Vatican II in this way: “Vatican II was a re-reading of the gospel in light of contemporary culture{MISSING SYMBOL}[It] produced a renewal movement that simply comes from the same gospel. Its fruits are enormous. Just recall the liturgy. The work of liturgical reform has been a service to the people as a re-reading of the gospel from a concrete historical situation.”

  Shortly before Pope John’s death, the International Balzan Foundation, which is headquartered in Milan and Zurich, awarded Pope John its Peace Prize. Then, in December 1963, President Lyndon Johnson posthumously awarded him the United States’ Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award.

  Pope John XXIII was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2000 with one miracle to his credit, the case of an Italian nun with hemorrhaging. His body was then moved from its original burial place in the grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica to near the main altar. His feast date is October 11 to commemorate the opening of
Vatican II.

  The canonization of Pope John XXIII was announced by Pope Francis shortly after the fiftieth anniversary of John’s death. The date for canonization has been set for April 27, 2014, Divine Mercy Sunday, the first Sunday after Easter. It will occur together with that of Pope John Paul II, the first time that two people have been canonized together. This is fitting because of the way the two figures bracket the process of Vatican II; if John inaugurated Vatican II, John Paul was both a product and a proponent of that process. By canonizing both simultaneously, it is believed the Vatican wants to highlight the unity of the process despite any perceived differences between John’s supposed liberalism and John Paul’s conservatism. The date for the occasion was originally scheduled for December 8; however, the Polish bishops complained that it would be difficult for many Poles to attend at the time because of inclement winter conditions.

  It is unusual for canonization to occur with only one miracle in place; however, Pope Francis has called witness to John’s “heroic virtue” as the basis for moving forward with canonization. There may also have been a popular clamor among the participants in Vatican II for the canonization to occur.

  And, after all, the canonization ceremony is only a recognition and confirmation of what has already been decided at the divine level.

  The Rosary

  Pope John XXIII said, “The Rosary is a magnificent and universal prayer for the needs of the Church, the nations and the entire world.” In fact, Pope John XXIII spoke 38 times about our Lady and the Rosary. He prayed 15 decades daily.

  Like Pope John XXIII, and Pope John Paul II, Pope Francis has stressed the importance of the rosary.

  In a September 2013 interview, Pope Francis discussed his daily prayers, stating, “I pray the breviary every morning. I like to pray with the psalms. Then, later, I celebrate Mass. I pray the Rosary. What I really prefer is adoration in the evening, even when I get distracted and think of other things, or even fall asleep praying. In the evening then, between seven and eight o’clock, I stay in front of the Blessed Sacrament for an hour in adoration. But I pray mentally even when I am waiting at the dentist or at other times of the day.”

  A month earlier, at the Mass for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Francis urged Catholics to pray the rosary, “Mary joins us, she fights at our side. She supports Christians in the fight against the forces of evil. Especially through prayer, through the rosary. Hear me out, the rosary... Do you pray the Rosary each day? I don't know, are you sure? There we go!”

  As a child, I remember seeing my grandmother pray the rosary. I remember thinking that the practice was odd, even frightening to watch. Often we are afraid of things that we do not understand, and I have since learned that the tradition of praying the rosary is quite beautiful. I hope the following chapter provides both instruction and reference for practicing Catholics, and a deeper understanding for those of different religions. The following chapter explains in detail the traditions of praying the rosary, a tradition that Pope Francis holds dear.

  The following sections provide a brief overview of how to pray the rosary. This section also appears in The Life and Legacy of Pope John Paul II & Pope Francis, by Wyatt North and Michael Ruszala respectively.

  First, begin by holding the cross and repeating the “Sign of the Cross.”

  Sign of the Cross

  In The Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

  Then, “The Apostle’s Creed” is said on the Cross.

  The Apostle’s Creed

  I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

  Next, on the single bead just above the cross, pray the “Our Father.” Remember, Rosary prayers are considered Meditative prayers as opposed to personal prayers. In personal prayer the prayer speaks to God. In meditative prayer we allow God to speak to us through his word and his Spirit.

  Our Father

  Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

  The next cluster on the rosary has 3 beads. With this group of beads, the prayer should recite the “Hail Mary.” The prayer should recite 3 Hail Marys while allowing God to speak through his words on the three divine virtues of faith, hope, and love.

  Hail Mary

  Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

  Repeat this three times.

  After the three beads, there is a chain. Hold the bare chain and recite the “Glory be to the Father” prayer.

  Glory be to the Father

  Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

  The next bead is a single bead. Hold this bead in your hand and say the divine mystery of contemplation. For example, if it were a Monday or a Saturday, you would say the first Joyful Mystery, “The Annunciation.”

  The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary (Lk 1:26-38)

  In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

  Then you may prayer the “Our Father” prayer for the second time.

  Our Father

  Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

  This brings you to a set of ten beads on the rosary. You should then pray 10 Hail Marys while contemplating the first mystery. The example of The Annunciation is provided above.

  Hail Mary

  Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

  Repeat this ten times.

  After the 10th Hail Mary you will have completed the first of 5 decades. The next section of the rosary, is a single bead. Repeat the “Glory be to the Father.”

  Glory be to the Father

  Glory Be to the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.

  Next, on the same bead, pray the “O My Jesus.”

  O My Jesus