Question 3.53

3.53 In your opinion, what would be the best way of summarizing the long pontificate of John Paul II?

All those very productive years can be traced back to the three pillars of his interior life, which were the Cross, the Eucharist, and the Blessed Virgin, Crux, Hostia, et Virgo. His extraordinary faith sought the foundations for its strength only in the most ordinary tools of the Christian life.

Before he was elected pope, whenever he came to Rome, Karol Wojtyła used to stay with his great friend Cardinal Deskur. At night, the latter often found his friend lying on the cold marble floor of his private chapel. He remained in adoration until dawn, without sleeping. Worried about his friend, Andrzej Deskur had the marble removed so as to install a wooden floor that would be less uncomfortable. …

In his everyday routine, the simplicity of this pope was disarming. Let us not suppose that the virtues of godly men are unattainable. John Paul II lived in intimacy with God without leaving the men with whom he dealt. The relation of trust that he had with Cardinal Ratzinger was immense, while at the same time these two giants remained disarmingly humble.

Without really being aware of it, we walked with a saint who is now a protector of the Church in heaven.