Our Patron St John XXIII
Pope John XXIII was born Angelo Roncalli in a small village in Lombardy in Italy. He was ordained priest in 1904 and served in many places in Italy during the first part of the 20th century. He was papal delegate to Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey and papal nuncio (ambassador) to France,. In 1953 he was made Cardinal and Patriarch of Venice. He was elected Pope at the age of 78 in October 1958 taking the name John, the first to do so for 500 years. Many thought he would only be Pope for a few years because of his age and health. So they were surprised when in October 1962 he called the bishops together for only the Second Vatican Council. The council lasted until 1965- he did not live to see it as he died in June 1963. He was much loved by many throughout the world, not only Catholics and was known as Good Pope John. In April 2014, he was canonised by Pope Francis alongside Pope John Paul II.
“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.” Pope John XXIII
See everything, overlook a great deal, correct a little. Pope John XXIII.