Do you live your life with confidence in God? Are you convicted by the truth? This can be incredibly hard to do, but fortunately we have great examples to follow, especially St. John Paul II. As the feast day of St. John Paul II approaches, Dr. Edward Sri shares some lesser-known stories of him and lifts him up as an amazing example of courage.

Snippet from the Show
Even amidst relativism, secularism, and the sexual revolution, St. John Paul II called people to the truth.

St. John Paul II

St. John Paul II was born Karol Józef Wojtyła on May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. He was the youngest of three children. Sadly, he lost both of his siblings and his mother before he was twelve years old. His father raised him with great love and attention.

St. John Paul II’s faith was influenced greatly by his father and a layman named Jan Tyranowski. Once Poland was invaded by the Nazis, St. John Paul II was not able to continue his studies. During the occupation his father died of a heart attack. Eventually, he decided to enter a secret seminary. He was ordained in 1946.

In his first years as a priest, St. John Paul II completed his doctoral studies. Once he was assigned a parish, he began working a lot with young people. Only twelve years into his priesthood, St. John Paul II was made a bishop. Ten years later, he was made a cardinal and only ten years after that, he was elected as pope.

St. John Paul II’s contributions to the Church are incredibly extensive. His love for God and for people was apparent in his actions and his words. What a gift to the Church! St. John Paul II, pray for us.

Quotes from St. John Paul II

• “At this stage in history, the liberating message of the Gospel of life has been put in your hands. And a mission of proclaiming it to the ends of the earth is passing to your generation.”
• This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is the time to preach it from the rooftops.”

When You Pray: A Clear Path to a Deeper Relationship with God

You know prayer is important but still find it challenging. Perhaps it’s hard to find time, or you’re unsure what to do when you pray. Or maybe you feel discouraged by your weaknesses and your inability to overcome them.

If you have any of these feelings, you are not alone. Many of the saints struggled in prayer. They were like us. But each time they fell, they got up again and learned to rely more on God’s grace.

What God did in the lives of countless saints, he wants to do in the lives of ordinary people like us. And that’s what this study is about: the journey of prayer God wants to take us on.

Authored and presented by Dr. Edward Sri, When You Pray also features Fr. Jacques Philippe, Fr. Josh Johnson, Fr. Gregory Pine, Sister Josephine Garrett, Fr. Donald Haggerty, and Sister Maris Stella.

Upcoming Events with Dr. Sri

• Nov 12-20 – Holy Land Pilgrimage
• Dec 6-7 – Immaculate Conception Parish – Columbus OH
• Dec 8-10 – Immaculate Conceptions Men’s Retreat – Malvern PA
• Jan 1-5 – SEEK Conference, St. Louis MO
• Jan 12-13 – Diocese of Evansville Eucharistic Congress – Evansville IN
• Jan 18-28 – Holy Land Pilgrimage
• Feb 15 – St. Rita Parish Mission – Wellington FL
• Feb 16-17 – Archdiocese of St. Louis Men’s Conference – St. Louis MO
• Feb 21 – St. Anna’s Catholic Church – Parish Lenten Mission – Monroe GA
• Feb 22 – Holy Trinity Catholic Church – Parish Lenten Mission – Peachtree City GA
• Mar 1-2 – Annual Diocesan Conference – Laredo TX
• Mar 8-9 – Catholic Men’s Conference of Maryland – Baltimore MD
• Mar 13-14 – St. Michael Catholic Church Parish Mission – St. Michael MN
• Mar 15 – Bishop Lucker Lecture for Diocese of New Ulm – Redwood Falls MN
• Mar 20-21 – St. Louis Catholic Church Parish Mission – Miami FL
• Apr 5-6 – Diocese of Charleston Eucharistic Congress – Columbia SC
• Apr 19-20 – Diocesan Eucharistic Congress – Altoona-Johnstown PA
• Aug 17 – Discipleship Conference – Oklahoma City OK
• Aug 23-24 – Diocesan Faith Formation Conference – Tulsa OK
• Oct 3 – Diocese of Harrisburg Annual Priest Workshop – Hunt Valley MD