The Papacy of John Paul II

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May 18, 1920 - April 2, 2005
"Be not afraid"

Pope John Paul II began his papacy by telling the world, "Be not afraid"; his life showed everyone that to change the world, we must "cast into the deep for a great catch."

On these pages, we will explore and celebrate the extraordinary papacy of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II.

• 32-page OSV tribute issue  (PDF download)
• News
• Biography of Pope John Paul II by Russell Shaw. Includes his early life, career in the Church, pontificate, pastoral visits and travels, encyclicals and other writing, and an overview of issues and activities.
• Follow a timeline of John Paul II's pontificate.
• Prayers by the Holy Father.
• Quotes from the Holy Father.
• For Kids: Popes Are People Too!
• Pope John Paul II beatified and canonized more people than any previous pontiff. Click here to read the list of canonizations. Click here to read the list of beatifications.
• Vatican coverage of Pope John Paul II's pontificate.
• You'll find recommendations for more reading from Our Sunday Visitor Publishing.
• Links to other online papal resources.
  

[CNS photo used with permission.]