Remembering Blessed John Paul II (8th Anniversary of Death, April 2)

NEWS.VA ^ | 04.08.13

[Coleus]

2013-04-08 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) To mark eight years since the death of Blessed John Paul II on April 2nd 2005, we bring you Vatican Radio archive recordings of his words in English focusing on prayer and priestly life, as well as the testimony of some of those who witnessed this first-hand.

Among them, the late Carmelite Father, Redemptus Valabek, former postulator of the causes of the saints of his Order, who explains why many used to describe John Paul II as being a Carmelite at heart. Also, Nigerian Cardinal, Francis Arinze, head of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious dialogue at the time of the remarkable prayer gathering in Assisi. He points to how this Polish Pontiff's call for all to pray was addressed not just to Christians but to non-Christians as well.

In this programme in which you can hear Blessed John Paul II reciting the 'Our Father', we also highlight how this Pope's 's prayer life was inseparable from his priestly vocation. How he often told his friends: "I am first and foremost a priest", reminding them how privileged he was to have this vocation because it allowed him to preside at the Church's most important prayer of all: the Celebration of the Eucharist .

Listen to this programme presented and produced by Veronica Scarisbrick:

[Coleus]

April 2, 2005 at 9:37PM, the heart of John Paul II stopped beating. It was an emotional moment, with more than 60,000 people gathered at St. Peter's Square to pray during the agonizing last moments of the Polish Pope's life.

[Biggirl]

Now the three, Ronald Reagan, Blessed John Paul II, and Margaret Thatcher are now joined together in the next life. Eternal rest.