San Francisco gets ready for canonization of late Pope John Paul II

“Where self-interest is suppressed, it is replaced by a burdensome system of bureaucratic control that dries up the wellspring of initiative and creativity.”

Pope John Paul II, born Karol Jozef  Wojtyla  reigned as Pope and Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, almost 27 years later. His was the third-longest pontificate after Pius IX\'s 32-year reign and St. Peter\'s 34+ years. He was the only Polish pope and the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI (Dutch) in the 1520s.

“The true and solid peace of nations consists not in equality of arms, but in mutual trust alone. “

Pope John XXIII, born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was the head of the Roman Catholic Church from 28 October 1958 to his death in 1963. The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world, bringing in vernacular language, thereby reinforcing Catholic doctrine in a more modern perspective. Controversial as it was, it allowed the faithful to participate in living their religion vs. church dogma.

Mission Dolores Basilica

3321 16th Street, San Francisco, CA

 corner of Dolores Avenue

Parking available on school playground – entrance on 17th Street.

12:00 noon – reception in school audytorium

On April 27, 2014  the much-beloved Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII will be canonized at The Vatican by Pope Francis. The plans for this Holy Event are well under way around the world.