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Catholic News Agency (CNA) - Vatican
Vatican City, Apr 27, 2014 / 09:28 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A group of Polish friends decided to run the whole way to Rome to be present for the canonizations of St. John Paul II and John XXIII, explaining that their key motivation was to give “thanks.”
“We don't have any (official) group. We are friends,” Tomasz Pietnerzak told CNA April 27, explaining that when another friend suggested “why don't we run to Vatican? I said ok, we run. Let's go!”
Having run a grand total of 2,000 kilometers in order to be present at the Vatican on Divine Mercy Sunday for papal canonizations, the group consists of 22 men of varying ages, who collectively ran 300 kilometers a day.
When asked what their primary motivation was driving the initiative, Pietnerzak simply stated that they “Run for thanks” he said, and indicated the word printed on the back of the matching athletic jersey’s they wore.
“We run because we can’t do anything else” the pilgrim explained, emphasizing their gratitude for John Paul II first of all because he is “from Poland,” but also because He’s a big man. He changed world, and Poland.”
“He’s a good man, good man,” they reflected, “he changed Europe.”
Despite the group’s fondness of the sport, they replied with a firm “No, no!” when asked if they would run on the way back, stating that they would most likely return in by car. A “come back car,” they jested.
The Mass for the canonization of now-Saints John Paul II and John XXIII was held April 27 at 9:30 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, where roughly 800,000 pilgrims gathered, spilling out onto the main road and overflowing into the surrounding squares.
Dubbed by some as the Mass of the four Popes, the celebration was presided over by Pope Francis and was concelebrated by retired pontiff Benedict XVI, marking his third public appearance since his resignation rocked the world last February.
His first outing was on July 5th of last summer for the inauguration of the St. Michael Statue in the Vatican City State Gardens, his second being for the Consistory of Cardinals this February.
“We don't have any (official) group. We are friends,” Tomasz Pietnerzak told CNA April 27, explaining that when another friend suggested “why don't we run to Vatican? I said ok, we run. Let's go!”
Having run a grand total of 2,000 kilometers in order to be present at the Vatican on Divine Mercy Sunday for papal canonizations, the group consists of 22 men of varying ages, who collectively ran 300 kilometers a day.
When asked what their primary motivation was driving the initiative, Pietnerzak simply stated that they “Run for thanks” he said, and indicated the word printed on the back of the matching athletic jersey’s they wore.
“We run because we can’t do anything else” the pilgrim explained, emphasizing their gratitude for John Paul II first of all because he is “from Poland,” but also because He’s a big man. He changed world, and Poland.”
“He’s a good man, good man,” they reflected, “he changed Europe.”
Despite the group’s fondness of the sport, they replied with a firm “No, no!” when asked if they would run on the way back, stating that they would most likely return in by car. A “come back car,” they jested.
The Mass for the canonization of now-Saints John Paul II and John XXIII was held April 27 at 9:30 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, where roughly 800,000 pilgrims gathered, spilling out onto the main road and overflowing into the surrounding squares.
Dubbed by some as the Mass of the four Popes, the celebration was presided over by Pope Francis and was concelebrated by retired pontiff Benedict XVI, marking his third public appearance since his resignation rocked the world last February.
His first outing was on July 5th of last summer for the inauguration of the St. Michael Statue in the Vatican City State Gardens, his second being for the Consistory of Cardinals this February.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Vatican City, Apr 27, 2014 / 04:40 am (CNA).- At the canonization mass for Popes John Paul II and John XXIII on Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of Christ’s suffering as a visible sign of divine love.
“The wounds of Jesus are a scandal, a stumbling block for faith, yet they are also the test of faith. That is why on the body of the risen Christ the wounds never pass away: they remain, for those wounds are the enduring sign of God’s love for us,” the pontiff said in his homily on April 27.
“The wounds of Jesus are a scandal, a stumbling block for faith, yet they are also the test of faith. That is why on the body of the risen Christ the wounds never pass away: they remain, for those wounds are the enduring sign of God’s love for us,” the pontiff said in his homily on April 27.
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