All eyes on rock star Pope John Paul II

MANILA, Philippines - On May 11, 2011, Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope John Paul II was beatified. This confirmed his holiness and his inheritance promised by Christ. The beatification echoed a call to holiness that John Paul II mirrored in his 26-year papacy — his entire life.

On April 27, 2014, another Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope John Paul II along with another great pontiff, Pope John XXIII, will be canonized to sainthood. For my family and a lot of Filipinos, this is truly a day of great rejoicing.

My family and I have always had this devotion to John Paul II. As a young adult, we literally ran beside his convoy as it traversed the Baclaran area in Roxas Boulevard during the 1981 pastoral visit when he beatified San Lorenzo Ruiz and his companions. When we got a glimpse of him waving at us, all the physical exhaustion was replaced by elation. Years later, as a solo parent, I braved the sea of humanity and joined the rest of the Filipino faithful at the Luneta in 1995 for the World Youth Day celebration, with my young daughter in my arms and my son borne piggy-back on my shoulders.

Three years ago, as public relations head of the Araneta Group, and with the help of the Diocese of Cubao, we mounted an exhibit of John Paul II’s relics at the Gateway Mall entitled “Beatus” in October 2011. I was amazed at the droves of faithful that went to this exhibit and prayed in the mall. This year, together with good friend Dave dela Cruz, I am blessed to have helped in bringing a “sequel” of the John Paul II relic exhibit to Gateway Mall, this time entitled “Totus Tuus.” Less than a week after it was launched, thousands have come and continue to flock to venerate the relics and write their petitions to the soon-to-be saint. The exhibit will be at the Gateway Mall until April 24.

So why do I have this devotion to Pope John Paul II? Long before Pope Francis, JP2 is my “rock star” pope. A recent pilgrimage with Arlina Onglao’s Journeys of Faith to Wadowice, the birthplace of John Paul II made me witness to this pope’s humble beginnings. There really was nothing earthshaking in the quaint hometown of Karol Jozef Wojtyla, born on May 18, 1920 in Wadowice. From his crib to his home to his favorite cakes, everything about Karol Wojtyla was as regular as anyone. Yet he made a mark in the lives of millions of Catholics and non-Catholics.

He gave special attention to the youth, the poor and those who taught the faith, the catechists. Perhaps this is why the Year of the Laity holds special meaning for those who pray to John Paul II. He called everyone to holiness. This was a pope that abhorred wars, dictators and fought against the ills and injustices of contemporary society. He was as “normal” as anyone, so much so that he was humble enough to apologize for the wrongdoings of the Church.

By the time of his death in 2005, John Paul II had visited 129 countries, beatified 1,340 people, canonized 483 saints, wrote 14 encyclicals and a multitude of letters, exhortations, and touched countless lives, including mine.

On Divine Mercy Sunday this year April 27, as part of Journeys of Faith’s Marian pilgrimage led by Fr. Bong Tupino, I will be with the throng of humanity at St. Peter’s Square to witness the canonization of the two great popes — John XXIII and John Paul II. What makes this event more meaningful is that the children that I struggled to carry in my arms and on my shoulders to be with Pope John Paul II at the Luneta 19 years ago during World Youth Day mass will be with me.  

Miles away, thousands of Filipino faithful will share this special occasion and witness the canonization rites when it is beamed live from the Smart Araneta Coliseum in an event called “Shepherds, Servants, Saints.” Pope John Paul II, the boy from Wadowice, as ordinary as you and me, will be made a saint. This is a concrete affirmation that with the faith and passion to serve as John Paul II’s, ordinariness can be transformed to shepherding, service and eventually, holiness.