John Paul II: marking his beatification a year on ...
To mark a year since the beatification of John Paul II on May 1st 2011, we bring you
his words in English focusing on prayer and priestly life, as well as the testimony
of some of those who witnessed this first-hand. Among them, the late Carmelite
Father, Redemptus Valabek, former postulator of the causes of the saints of his Order,
who explains why many used to describe John Paul II as being a Carmelite at heart.
Also, Nigerian Cardinal, Francis Arinze, head of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious
dialogue at the time of the remarkable prayer gathering in Assisi.He points to how
this Polish Pontiff's call for all to pray was addressed not just to Christians but
to non-Christians as well. In this programme in which you can hear Blessed John
Paul II reciting the 'Our Father', we also highlight how this Pope's 's prayer life
was inseparable from his priestly vocation. How he often told his friends: "I am first
and foremost a priest", reminding them how privileged he was to have this vocation
because it allowed him to preside at the Church's most important prayer of all: the
Celebration of the Eucharist .
Listen to this programme presented
and produced by Veronica Scarisbrick: