The President of the Polish Bishops Conference has asked Pope Francis to proclaim St John Paul II a Doctor of the Church and Patron of Europe.
Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki said the late pope’s reign was “filled with ground-breaking decisions and significant events that changed the face of the papacy and influenced the course of European and world history.”
“The richness of the pontificate of St John Paul II – by many historians and theologians referred to as John Paul II the Great – came from the richness of his personality – poet, philosopher, theologian and mystic, realizing himself in many dimensions, from pastoral work and teaching, leading the universal Church, to personal testimony of holiness of life,” the archbishop told Pope Francis.
The request, sent on October 22, the feast of St John Paul II, was supported by Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, who added: “Pope Wojtyła’s legacy is a rich, versatile and creative synthesis of multiple paths of human thinking.
“There is no doubt that it still remains, and will for a long time remain, an important and comprehensive cultural renewal project on a global scale. These are also at the same time, in my opinion, the most important reasons why John Paul II should be declared Doctor of the Church and co-patron of our European home.”
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By Chad Pecknold. With thanks to the Catholic Herald, where this article originally appeared.
