1. Inspiring words of Pope John Paul
II
What words would Blessed John Paul say to us today, if he were standing here at this pulpit? What
insights would he give us on battling fear, based on his own personal experience? Well, we can’t
know the answer to that question for sure, but I strongly suspect he would say things like this:
• “Do not fear that God will fail to provide for your
needs. He will always provide. Remember, I lost
my entire family before I was 21 years of age. My
only sister died before I was born. My mother
died when I was 8. My elder (and only) brother, a
medical doctor whom I greatly loved and admired,
died 3 years later; and my father, who was my
greatest spiritual inspiration, died tragically less
than a decade after that. At 20, I had already lost all the people I loved. But the Lord was
always there for me, and he will always be there for you.”
• “Do not be afraid of lies—the lies the world tells you every day about the human person
and about life and its meaning. When I lived under Nazi and Communist rule in Poland I
battled these lies every day. But I knew the truth, rooted in my faith, and I proclaimed it
as openly and as clearly as I could. Nazism and Communism were political and economic
systems built on the very worst of lies, so they were doomed from the start. Many people
were surprised when Soviet Communism crumbled in Eastern Europe in the early 1990s,
but I wasn‟t. What‟s built on lies, eventually dies. So don‟t be afraid of them.”
• “Do not be afraid of suffering. I suffered in so many
ways in my life. I just told you about some of them:
losing all the members of my family before I was 21;
living for years under Nazi and Communist oppression
(I was even forced to study for the priesthood
secretly, in an underground seminary). But there were
many other sufferings as well: for example, the time I
was shot in St. Peter‟s Square in 1981 and nearly
died; and, of course, my long and difficult battle with
Parkinson‟s Disease. But through these and all the
other trials of my life, I looked to God and found my strength in him. His grace was
always sufficient for me, and it will always be sufficient for you. So don‟t be afraid.”
• “Do not be afraid to confront your sin and repent of it. I instituted today‟s feast, the

2. feast of the Divine Mercy, to remind the world that every sin can be forgiven through the
blood of Jesus Christ. And don‟t be afraid to take your sins to the sacrament of
Confession. Jesus gave the power to priests to dispense his mercy to repentant sinners.
As you heard him say to the very first priests in today‟s gospel, “Whose sins you forgive
are forgiven them.”
• “And speaking of forgiveness, do not be afraid to extend
forgiveness to others. Forgiveness is not a sign of
weakness; it‟s an act of strength. And it‟s an act that brings
with it liberation and peace. Remember how I forgave the
man who tried to assassinate me back in 1981? I did that
because it was the right thing to do—the thing Jesus wanted
me to do—and I did it to set an example for the world. Hate
destroys, but forgiveness heals.”
• “Do not be afraid to face the tough issues and the tough questions—after all, as a
Catholic you possess the truth! Because I wasn‟t afraid of taking on the difficult
contemporary issues relative to sexual morality, I gave the world a series of teachings
known as „the Theology of the Body‟—teachings that will help people to find fulfillment in
their relationships for generations to come.”
• “And finally, do not be afraid of the future; and certainly do
not be afraid of death. Jesus promised to be with us always,
until the end of time. And he told us that in his Father‟s house
there are many dwelling places—including one for us, if we
remain faithful. Remember how I approached death: I put
myself confidently in the hands of Jesus through Mary. The last
words my secretary heard me say on my deathbed were, „Totus
tuus‟—„Totally yours, Mary.‟ And without any fear in my heart I said to a nun in my final
hours, “Let me go to the Lord.”
I hope you will join me today in thanking God for the gift of John Paul II, and for the
many lessons our former Holy Father taught us—especially that very important
lesson: “Be not afraid!”
Given the fact that he is now Blessed John Paul II, I think the best way for us to
conclude is to seek his heavenly intercession for all of our special intentions. For
this purpose, I’ll use the prayer I gave out for people to say for my healing. I ask you
now to kneel as I say the prayer in the name of each of us:

3. ‘’O Blessed Trinity, we thank you for having graced the Church with Pope John Paul
II, and for allowing the tenderness of your Fatherly care, the glory of the cross of
Christ, and the splendor of the Holy Spirit, to shine through
him.
Trusting fully in your infinite mercy and in the maternal
intercession of Mary, he has given us a living image of Jesus
the Good Shepherd, and has shown us that holiness is the
necessary measure of ordinary Christian life and is the way
of achieving eternal communion with you.
Grant us, by his intercession, and according to your will,
the graces we implore, hoping that he will soon be
numbered among your saints.’’
Amen!
Taken from: Fr. Ray Suriani blog post.
Do you want to Follow the Foot Steps of Pope John Paul II,
* see the house where he was born, the bascillica where he was baptised
* pray at same church which was very very dear to him ie Our Lady of Kalvaria, a 400
year old church
* pray at the Dvivine Mercy shrine, which he emphasised so much
* visit the smae places, mountains which he used to visit
* and Have a Fantastic holiday at the same time.
Call Uk & USA numbers.....or email us at info@dlitravel.com
and we will send you dates , prices and also expain to you "How you can get outstanding Value for money and
also if this can be one of your Best Pilgriage & Holidays...ever".
Click here see short Video of the Pilgrimage or go to http://www.sacredpoland.com/shrines-of-poland/