Pope St, John Paul II

Wednesday, October 22, 2014 is the first time that the Church throughout the world will celebrate the Feast Day of Pope St. John Paul II.

Pope St. John Paul II, also known as Saint John Paul the Great, was Pope from October 16, 1978 until his death on April 2, 2005.  He was the second longest-serving pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX, who served for nearly 32 years from 1846 to 1878. Born in Poland, John Paul II is credited as helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland and eventually all of Europe.  John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church’s relations with Judaism, Islam, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion.

One of the most traveled world leaders in history, John Paul II visited 129 countries during his pontificate. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he beatified 1,340 people and canonized 483 saints, more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the preceding five centuries. By the time of his death, he had named most of the College of Cardinals, consecrated or co-consecrated a large number of the world’s bishops, and ordained many priests.

John Paul II’s cause for canonization commenced a month after his death, due to Pope Benedict XVI, his successor and close collaborator, having waived the traditional five-year waiting period.  Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed him Venerable on December 19, 2009 and Blessed on May 1, 2011 after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints attributed a miracle to him, the healing of a French nun from Parkinson’s disease. A second miracle, the healing of a Costa Rican woman from a brain aneurysm, was approved on July 2, 2013 and confirmed by Pope Francis two days later. John Paul II was canonized on April 27, 2014, alongside Pope John XXIII.  Like John XXIII, his feast day is not celebrated on the date of his death, but on the anniversary of his Papal election, October 22, 1978.  Last month, on Thursday, September 11, 2014, Pope Francis added his optional memorial to the worldwide General Roman Calendar of saints’ feast days, in response to requests from around the world.

The Orans Posture

The Latin word “orans” is translated as “one who is praying.” The “orans posture” is praying while lifting up one’s hands. This posture of prayer has a Scriptural basis in First Timothy: “I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.” (1Tim. 2:8).

The orans posture was common in early Christianity and can be seen in early Christian art. Several of the early Church Fathers saw it as “the outline of the cross.”

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (the “rubrics,” or rules for the celebration of the Mass) references the orans posture with the phrase “with hands extended.” It is instructed to be done twenty-eight times and is used as a direction only for the priest; the laity are never directed to pray “with hands extended.”

Among the laity this practice reemerged with the charismatic renewal in the 1970’s. Used first in private prayer, it has worked its way into the Liturgy. It is a legitimate gesture to use when praying, as history shows; however, its use as a private gesture in the Mass can conflict with the system of signs which the rubrics are intended to protect.

There are some priests that instruct the faithful to assume the orans posture at Mass during the recitation of the Our Father. This is incorrect. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy states that: “no person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.” If a handful of people are innocently praying in the orans posture during the Our Father, most priests are not going to go out of his way to embarrass them or cause them to feel uncomfortable. Their action is probably not a distraction to anyone around them, but it is not part of the rubrics of the Mass.

Walk to Bethlehem

If anyone is interested in taking part in the “Walk to Bethlehem” being done by the Center of Jesus the Lord on December 19, 2026, please contact Darlene Rodriguez at rahrahsdesignes@bellsouth.net.

Our Lady of Fatima Miracle of the Sun – October 13, 1917

On May 13, 1917, nine-year-old Lúcia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto were herding sheep at Cova da Iria in the parish of Fátima, Portugal and saw apparitions of the Virgin Mary, who the children described as “the Lady more brilliant than the Sun.” The children were told “to make sacrifices, and to spend time in adoration of the Lord.” The children were also told that on October 13th of that year the “Lady” would reveal her identity and perform a miracle “so that all may believe.” Newspapers reported the prophecies, and many pilgrims began visiting the area. On October 13, 1917, a huge crowd of 100,000 people, including reporters and photographers, gathered at Cova da Iria. What happened then became known as the “Miracle of the Sun.”
Numerous authors have published what actually happened during the event. The three children reported seeing a panorama of visions during the event, including those of Jesus, Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and of Saint Joseph blessing the people. According to news accounts, after a period of rain, the dark clouds broke and the sun appeared as an opaque, spinning disc in the sky. It was said to be significantly duller than normal, and to cast multicolored lights across the landscape, the people, and the surrounding clouds. The sun then careened towards the earth before zigzagging back to its normal position. Witnesses reported that their previously wet clothes became “suddenly and completely dry, as well as the wet and muddy ground that had been previously soaked because of the rain that had been falling.”

After a canonical inquiry, the Bishop of Leiria-Fátima officially declared the visions of Fátima as “worthy of belief” in October 1930, officially permitting the belief of Our Lady of Fátima.