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20 Years a Saint: John Paul II
Unlocking the Secrets: How Saints Shape Our Lives
Did Jesus Christ foretell the destiny of St. John Paul the Great?
Twenty years ago, Pope John Paul II whispered, “Let me go to the Father’s House,” beginning his new role as a great saint.
We learn more of that role with every passing year. Catholic scholars now agree that The Diary of St. Maria Kowalska Faustina (written in the 1930s) predicted the Polish pope and his destiny:
“As I was praying, I heart Jesus’ words: ‘I bear a special love for Poland, and if she will be obedient to My will, I will exalt her in might and holiness. From her will come forth the spark that will prepare the world for My final coming,’”(Diary, 1732).
Many believe John Paul was “the spark from Poland” preparing the world. From 1795 to 1918, Poland was erased from the map by invading neighbors, but poets began calling it “the Christ of Nations,” a small nation that would suffer for the world — but someday be resurrected.
In 1848, Polish poet Juliusz Słowacki prophesied a future “Slavic pope” who would usher in an era of spiritual renewal and unity:
“Amid the quarrels of kings and nations,
A Slavic Pope shall rise to sight,
Not with the sword, nor cruel foundations,
But with the…
