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Jews, Catholics plan friendship memorial May. 30, 2006 at 10:14AM Poland's Catholic church has agreed to turn the house where the late Pope John Paul II was born into a memorial of the Jewish-Catholic friendship. During his four-day stay in Poland, the German-born Pope Benedict XVI Saturday paid a brief stop in Wadowice, the birthplace of his predecessor and mentor John Paul II, to enter and bless the house, the Washington Post reported. Some 20 years ago the house was turned into a museum. About 200,000 pilgrims from Poland and around the world annually visit the site, containing memorabilia of...

Papal Address in John Paul II's Hometown His "Love for the Church Was Born Here" VATICAN CITY, MAY 28, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a Vatican translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered Saturday in Rynek Square in Wadowice, after visiting the Wojtyla family home, birthplace of the future Pope John Paul II. * * * Beloved Brothers and Sisters, I am filled with emotion in the birthplace of my great predecessor, the Servant of God John Paul II, in this town of his childhood and young adult life. Indeed, I could not omit Wadowice as I make this pilgrimage in...

Pope visits John Paul II's home By Adam Easton BBC News, in Krakow Pope Benedict has paid homage to his predecessor, John Paul II, by paying a visit to his home town of Wadowice in southern Poland. During his one-hour stop the Pope visited the home where John Paul, then Karol Wojtyla, was born and grew up. Crowds in the market square sang hymns and waved yellow and white Vatican flags as Benedict appeared. The 79-year-old Pope said he wanted to pray with the town's people for the swift beatification of John Paul. Brisk tour Earlier, the German-born Pontiff visited...

John Paul childhood home for sale From correspondents in Warsaw December 09, 2005 THE house in southern Poland where the late pope John Paul II was born has been put on the market for $US1 million ($1.34 million) by its American Jewish owner, a press report said today. According to the Gazeta Wyborcza, the episcopate of Krakow is interested in buying the house in the nearby town of Wadowice, but finds the asking price prohibitive. "Talks are underway. There is a lot of goodwill on the part of all involved parties, including the Jewish community," Father Robert Necek of the...