We celebrate the great pope St John XXIII on his feast day. Born in 1881 as Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli to a humble family in northern Italy, he always remained true to his roots, even becoming a secular Franciscan while studying for the priesthood in the Diocesan seminary. He later studied canon law, became the bishop’s secretary, became a stretcher bearer in World War I, and became the director the Society of the Propagation of the faith for the country of Italy. He later became a diplomat for the Vatican in the countries of Bulgaria, Turkey, and France.
Becoming the Bishop of Venice in 1953, he was soon appointed as a Cardinal. He was elected Pope at the age of 77 in 1958, a post he held until June 1963. He is remember for his joy and his wit and for having called the Second Vatican Council to breath life into the Church, to return to the apostolic roots of the Church, and for the Church to speak to the reality of the modern world. John XXIII died before the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, but the legacy he left the Church still lives today.
Our psalm states today: The Lord will remember his covenant for ever. At the heart of our faith is our covenant with God. Pope John XXIII remembered that covenant in his leadership of the Church and in the way he tried to preach the Gospel of peace and justice in the reality of the modern world. He was canonized as a saint at the same time as Pope John Paul II, recognizing two great leaders of our modern Church.
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