Image: Pope John XXIII begins the Mass | Saint Peter’s Basilica, October 11, 1959 | photo by Medici con l’Africa CuammImage: Pope John XXIII begins the Mass | Saint Peter’s Basilica, October 11, 1959 | photo by Medici con l’Africa CuammPosted on 10/11/2018 7:21:49 PM PDT by Salvation
Image: Pope John XXIII begins the Mass | Saint Peter’s Basilica, October 11, 1959 | photo by Medici con l’Africa Cuamm
Although few people had as great an impact on the 20th century as Pope John XXIII, he avoided the limelight as much as possible. Indeed, one writer has noted that his “ordinariness” seems one of his most remarkable qualities.
The firstborn son of a farming family in Sotto il Monte, near Bergamo in northern Italy, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was always proud of his down-to-earth roots. In Bergamo’s diocesan seminary, he joined the Secular Franciscan Order.
After his ordination in 1904, Fr. Roncalli returned to Rome for canon law studies. He soon worked as his bishop’s secretary, Church history teacher in the seminary, and as publisher of the diocesan paper.
His service as a stretcher-bearer for the Italian army during World War I gave him a firsthand knowledge of war. In 1921, Fr. Roncalli was made national director in Italy of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. He also found time to teach patristics at a seminary in the Eternal City.
In 1925, he became a papal diplomat, serving first in Bulgaria, then in Turkey, and finally in France. During World War II, he became well acquainted with Orthodox Church leaders. With the help of Germany’s ambassador to Turkey, Archbishop Roncalli helped save an estimated 24,000 Jewish people.
Named a cardinal and appointed patriarch of Venice in 1953, he was finally a residential bishop. A month short of entering his 78th year, Cardinal Roncalli was elected pope, taking the name John after his father and the two patrons of Rome’s cathedral, St. John Lateran. Pope John took his work very seriously but not himself. His wit soon became proverbial, and he began meeting with political and religious leaders from around the world. In 1962, he was deeply involved in efforts to resolve the Cuban missile crisis.
His most famous encyclicals were Mother and Teacher (1961) and Peace on Earth (1963). Pope John XXIII enlarged the membership in the College of Cardinals and made it more international. At his address at the opening of the Second Vatican Council, he criticized the “prophets of doom” who “in these modern times see nothing but prevarication and ruin.” Pope John XXIII set a tone for the Council when he said, “The Church has always opposed… errors. Nowadays, however, the Spouse of Christ prefers to make use of the medicine of mercy rather than that of severity.”
On his deathbed, Pope John said: “It is not that the gospel has changed; it is that we have begun to understand it better. Those who have lived as long as I have…were enabled to compare different cultures and traditions, and know that the moment has come to discern the signs of the times, to seize the opportunity and to look far ahead.”
“Good Pope John” died on June 3, 1963. Saint John Paul II beatified him in 2000, and Pope Francis canonized him in 2014.
Throughout his life, Angelo Roncalli cooperated with God’s grace, believing that the job at hand was worthy of his best efforts. His sense of God’s providence made him the ideal person to promote a new dialogue with Protestant and Orthodox Christians, as well as with Jews and Muslims. In the sometimes noisy crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, many people become silent on seeing the simple tomb of Pope John XXIII, grateful for the gift of his life and holiness. After his beatification, his tomb was moved into the basilica itself.
Religion Moderator's Guidelines to Caucus/Prayer/Ecumenical threads
Saint of the Day Ping!
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Our Lady of the Rosary, 10-07-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bruno, 10-06-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 10-05-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis of Assisi, 10-04-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Theodora Guerin, 10-03-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Feast of the Guardian Angels, 10-02-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, 10-01-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Jerome, 09-30-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, 09-29-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Wenceslaus, 09-28-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Vincent de Paul, 09-27-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Wenceslaus, 09-28-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Pope Paul VI, 09-26-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Louis Martin and Zélie Guerin, 09-25-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John Henry Newman, 09-24-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, 09-23-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions, 09-22-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Matthew, 09-21-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang/Comp, 09-20-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Januarius, 09-19-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph of Cupertino, 09-18-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Robert Bellarmine, 09-17-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cornelius, 09-16-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Our Lady of Sorrows, 09-15-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 09-14-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Chrysostom, 09-13-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 09-12-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cyprian, 09-11-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Thomas of Villanova, 09-10-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Claver, 09-09-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 09-08-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, 09-07-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Claudio Granzotto, 09-06-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, 09-05-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Rose of Viterbo, 09-04-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gregory the Great, 09-03-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John Francis Burté and Companions, 09-02-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Giles, 09-01-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Jeanne Jugan, 08-30-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Martyrdom of John the Baptist, 08-29-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Augustine of Hippo, 08-28-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Monica, 08-27-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph Calasanz, 08-26-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louis IX of France, 08-25-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bartholomew, 08-24-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Rose of Lima, 08-23-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Queenship of Mary, 08-22-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pius X, 08-21-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, 08-20-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Eudes, 08-19-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louis of Toulouse, 08-18-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joan of the Cross, 08-17-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stephen of Hungary, 08-16-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, 08-15-18 [Catholic Caucus]
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, 08-14-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Pontian and Hippolytus, 08-13-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, 08-12-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Clare of Assisi, 08-11-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Lawrence, 08-10-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, 08-09-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Dominic, 08-08-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cajetan, 08-07-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Transfiguration of the Lord, 08-06-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Dedication of Saint Mary Major Basilica, 08-05-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Vianney, 08-04-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Julian Eymard, 08-03-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, 08-02-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, 08-01-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, 07-31-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Solanus Casey, 07-30-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Martha, 07-29-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Stanley Rother, 07-28-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Antonio Lucci, 07-27-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Joachim and Anne, 07-26-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint James the Apostle, 07-25-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Sharbel Makhluf, 07-24-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bridget of Sweden, 07-23-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Magdalene, 07-22-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, 07-21-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Apollinaris, 07-20-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary MacKillop, 07-19-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Camillus de Lellis, 07-18-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis Solano, 07-17-18
Day by Day -- Saint for All, 07-16-18, Our Lady of Mount Carmel [Catholic Caucus]
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-15-17, Saint Bonaventure
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, 07-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-13-17, Saint Henry
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-12-17, Saints John Jones and John Wall
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-11-17, Saint Benedict
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Veronica Giuliani, 07-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, 07-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions, 07-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions, 07-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maria Goretti, 07-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anthony Zaccaria, 07-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, 07-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-03-17, Saint Thomas the Apostle
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-02-17, Saint Oliver Plunkett
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-01-17, Saint Junipero Serra
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-30-17, First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-29-17, Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Irenaeus, 06-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-27-17, Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-26-17, Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-25-17, Blessed Jutta of Thuringia
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-24-17, The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Fisher, 06-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Thomas More, 06-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, 06-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Paulinus of Nola, 06-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Romuald, 06-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for all, Venerable Matt Talbot, 06-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph Cafasso, 06-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Francis Regis, 06-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Marguerite d’Youville, 06-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Albert Chmielowski, 06-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anthony of Padua, 06-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Jolenta (Yolanda) of Poland, 06-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Barnabas, 06-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Joachima, 06-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ephrem, 06-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint William of York, 06-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Franz Jaegerstaetter, 06-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Norbert, 06-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Boniface, 06-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Angeline of Marsciano, 06-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, 06-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Marcellinus and Peter, 06-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Justin Martyr, 06-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 05-31-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joan of Arc, 05-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, 05-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, 05-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Augustine of Canterbury, 05-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Philip Neri, 05-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bede the Venerable, 05-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi, 05-24-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gregory VII, 5-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All -- Saint Rita of Cascia, 05-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 05-21-17, Saint Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernardine of Siena, 05-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Theophilus of Corte, 05-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. John I, 05-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Paschal Baylon, 05-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 05-16-17, Saint Margaret of Cortona
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Isidore the Farmer, 05-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Matthias, 05-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Our Lady of Fatima, 05-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Nereus and Achilleus, 05-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ignatius of Laconi, 05-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i, 05-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John of Avila, 05-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter of Tarentaise, 05-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Rose Venerini, 05-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Marian and James, 05-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Hilary of Arles, 05-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Michael Giedroyc, 05-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Philip and James, 05-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Athanasius, 05-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph the Worker, 05-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pius V, 04-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catherine of Siena, 04-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Chanel, 04-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort, 04-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pedro de San José Betancur, 04-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mark, 04-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint George, 04-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Adalbert of Prague, 04-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anselm, 04-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Conrad of Parzham, 04-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, 04-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed James Oldo, 04-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, 04-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernadette Soubirous, 04-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Caesar de Bus, 04-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Peter Gonzalez, 04-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Martin I, 04-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa of Los Andes, 04-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stanislaus, 04-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Magdalen of Canossa, 04-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Casilda, 04-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Julie Billiart, 04-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Baptist de la Salle, 04-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Crescentia Hoess, 04-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Vincent Ferrer, 04-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Isidore of Seville, 04-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Benedict the African, 04-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis of Paola, 04-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Hugh of Grenoble, 04-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stephen of Mar Saba, 03-31-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Regalado, 03-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ludovico of Casoria, 03-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catharine of Bologna, 03-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Lazarus, 03-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catherine of Genoa, 03-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Annunciation of the Lord, 03-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero, 03-24-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, 03-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Nicholas Owen, 03-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John of Parma, 03-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Salvator of Horta, 03-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary, 03-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, 03-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. Patrick, 03-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer, 03-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louise de Marillac, 03-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maximilian, 03-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Leander of Seville, 03-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Angela Salawa, 03-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Ogilvie, 03-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Dominic Savio, 03-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Frances of Rome, 03-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. John of God, 03-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Perpetua and Felicity, 03-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes, 03-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Joseph of the Cross, 03-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Casimir, 03-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Katharine Drexel, 03-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. Agnes of Bohemia, 03-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. David of Wales, 03-01-17
Candle-bearer holds prayers in her heart during canonization
Pope Francis makes history with dual canonization of Pope John XXIII, Pope John Paul II
Pope Francis’ sermon for the canonization
Angelo Roncalli and Priestly Celibacy (Pope John XXIII)
Two Modern Saints for the Modern World [Catholic Caucus]
Jokes, quips, wisecracks: John XXIII lived with keen sense of humor
Sainthood rites for John Paul II, John XXIII to be beamed around the world (3D in cinemas, for free)
(Pope) John XXIII and the Jews
Solemnity is the order of the day for John Paul II and John XXIII’s double canonization
Two (soon to be) Saints Who Smiled
Popes John XXIII, John Paul II to be canonized April 27th
Canonization date announced for Blessed Popes John Paul II and John XXIII
Pope Francis signs canonization decrees for John XXIII and John Paul II
Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II to be canonised
The St. Pius X - Bl. John XXIII Connection
Finally listening to Blessed John XXIII? (Latin for Seminarians)
A War Prevented: Pope John XXIII and the Cuban Missile Crisis
Blessed Pope John XXIII [Catholic Caucus]
Wants Honor for John XXIII - Pope Should Be Declared "Righteous Among the Nations"
Blessed Pope John XXIII and Vatican II on Respect for Human Life
Angelo Roncalli (Pope John XXIII) and Priestly Celibacy
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.