John Paul II
Before Papacy
John Paul II Gallery-2
John Paul II Gallery-3
KAROL JÓSEF WOJTYŁA:
Born in Wadowice, Kraków, Poland., May 18, 1920.
- Baptized on June 20, 1920. Lived with his parents at Rynek 2, (now Via Koscielna 7, apt. 4). Later, he and his father moved to Kraków (Via Tyniecka 10).
- He made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was Confirmed at 18.
- Ordained Priest in 1946 at Kraków, age 26.
- Ordained Bishop in the Cathedral of Wavel, 1958, at age 38.
- Archbishop of Kraków, 1964, age 46.
- Consecrated Cardinal by Pope Paul VI, 1967, age 47.
- Elected the 264th Pope on October 16, 1978 at 5:15 p.m. He is the 263rd Successor of Peter, at age 58.
Relatives:
- Father: Karol Wojtyła: Son of a master tailor. Tailor, from 1900 administrative officer of the Austrian army, then lieutenant in the Polish army. He died in 1941.
- Mother: Emilia Kaczorowska. She died in 1929, when Karol was 9.
- Brother Edmund: Born on August 27, 1906 in Kraków, physician, worked in Powszechny Hospital in Bielsko. He died in 1932, when Karol was 12.
Theatrical performances: The first one in Wadowice in 1934-38. In 1938-39 he joins the "Studio 38", experimental theater group founded by Tadeusz Kudliński.while studying at Jagellonian University, in Kraków.In 1941his first presentation of Król Duch (The Spirit King) by Jiliusz Słowacki.
Consecration to Mary:
Young Karol made the Consecration to Mary when he wanted to be a theater artist. And just after making it, a thought came to his mind: "I want to be a priest"... but I don't want to be a priest, he reflected, I want to be a theater artist!... but the thought came back again and again and again... and he became a priest!... and then a Bishop, with the Motto of the Consecration... and then a Pope who choose the same Motto of the Consecration.
It is the same Motto of the of the Consecration of St. Luis Maria Grignon de Montfort... following the same order of Redemption: God gave us Jesus through Mary, so now we give everything to Jesus through Mary. So, His "Motto" is "Totus Tuus", "I am all yours, Mary"..."All to Jesus trough Mary"
He participates in military training exercises at Hermanice in 1935. In July 1939 military training camp at Ozomla, near Sadowa Wiszna for Polish and Ukraine students. - Second World War begins on Sep.1939.
The Nazi occupation of Poland closed the University in 1939, and young Karol earns a living and forestalls deportation and imprisonment, as a stone cutter in quarry at Zakrzówek, Kraków...and then in in the Solvay Chemical Plant (1940-1944).
John Paul II is possibly the most athletic Pope in history. In his youth, he played soccer as a goal-keeper, took daring swims in the flooded Skawa River, and enjoyed skiing, hiking, mountain climbing and kayaking.
Hit by an automobile, he was at the hospital from February 29 to March 12, 1944.
The Russian Armed Forces freed Kraków from Nazi occupation in 1945...Now Communism is in Poland!.
He begins studies in Rome in 1946, just after his ordination as a Priest. - Registers at the Angelicum University. - Lodging with the Pallottines in Via Pettinari. and then, together with Fr. Starowieyski lives at the Pontifical Belgian College in Via Quirinale 26.
With Fr. Starowieyski he travels in 1947 to France, Belgium and Holland. In the area of Charleroi he carries out his pastoral activities with the Polish workers.
His doctoral Thesis in Rome, 1948: "The Problems of Faith in the Works of St. John of the Cross"; earns a doctorate in philosophy. - July, Returns from Rome to Poland. - He earns a master's degree in theology at the Jagellonian University in Kraków (1942-1946). Earns a doctorate in sacred theology in the Faculty of Theology at the Jagellonian University with highest marks.
He starts his publications in 1950. Appointed to the Chair of Ethics at the Catholic University of Lublin in 1956
Ordained Bishop in the Cathedral of Wavel, 1958.
Dissertation published by the Academy of Sciences of the Catholic University of Lublin: "Evaluation of the Possibility of Constructing a Christian Ethic based on the System of Max Scheler". - First edition of "Love and Responsibility" (ed. by TNKUL), in 1960.
Participates in the Second Vatican Council since 1963, making contributions to the documents that would become the Decree on Religious Freedom (Dignitatis Humanae) and the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes), two of the most historic and influential products of the council.
Metropolitan Bishop of Kraków, in 1963. Archbishop of Kraków, 1964. - September 10, Leaves for the III session of the Second Vatican Council (September 14 - November 21); at its conclusion makes a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, remaining for two weeks.
Consecrated Cardinal in the Sistine Chapel, by Pope Paul VI, 1967. - Reception ceremony of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa for the purpose of visitation within the Archdiocese of Kraków. The sacred image had been held previously by the authorities in Częstochowa.
Trip to America and various pastoral visits to different European nations.in 1969-70 - During his visitation to the parish of Corpus Domini he makes a visit to the Jewish Community and to the Synagogue in the Kazimierz section of Kraków. - The Polish Theological Society (PTT) of Krakow publishes "The Acting Person" (Osoba i cyzn).
Participates at the beatification of Fr. Maximilian Kolbe. in 1971.
Participates in the Eucharistic Congress in Australia in 1973. Stops at Manila (Philippines) and New Guinea. - Visit to Belgium. - Audience with Paul VI -.Visit to France (Paris, Chamonix, Annecy).
In 1977 he gives the spiritual exercises at the Vatican, in the presence of Pope Paul VI, the meditations from which have been published as A Sign of Contradiction. He returns to Kraków on the 16th of March. - Attends congress at the Gregorian University of Rome. He gives the introduction on the phenomenolgy 
of action. - Visit to the United States and Canada.
Participates AND presides during the absence of Card. Seper at the third meeting of the Council of the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops.- Gives a lecture entitled "The Problem of Creating Culture Through Human Praxis" at Sacred Heart University of Milan. - Receives a doctorate "honoris causa" from Johannes Guttenberg University, Mainz.
1978: Present at the funeral of Paul VI. - Conclave begins - John Paul I (Albino Luciani) is elected Pope. - Visits the Federal Republic of Germany with Cardinal Primate Stefan Wyszyński and the Bishops of Stroba and Rubin.
- October 3-4: Leaves for the funeral of Pope John Paul I.
- October 14: Conclave begins.
- October 16: Cardinal Karol Wojtyła is elected 264th Pope at approximately 5:15 p.m. He is the 263rd Successor of Peter, and takes the name of John Paul II.
John Paul II Gallery of Pictures
http://www.vatican.va/news
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/30/world/main575864.shtml
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/pope/bio/early/
http://mexicosiemprefiel.com/galeria/categories.php?cat_id=24&page=2
