When John Paul II wanted to go to Medjugorje ...

Da Paolo Tessione - July 9, 2019

On April 27, over 5 million people from all over the world will be moved by seeing the cloth from the Loggia delle Benedizioni lower and discover the face of John Paul II. The desire of the many faithful who at his death cried "Holy immediately!" has been answered: Wojtyla will be canonized together with John XXIII. Like Roncalli, the Polish Pontiff also changed history, through a revolutionary pontificate that sowed the seeds of many fruits that are lived today in the Church and in the world. But where did the secret of this strength, this faith, this holiness come from? From an intimate relationship with God, which took place in an incessant prayer that, several times, caused the Blessed to leave the bed intact, because he preferred to spend the nights on the ground, in prayer. This is confirmed by the postulator of the cause of canonization, Msgr. Slawomir Oder, in the interview with ZENIT that we report below.

Everything has been said about John Paul II, everything has been written. But did the last word really say about this "giant of faith"?
Archbishop Oder: John Paul II himself suggested what his key to knowledge was: "Many try to get to know me by looking at me from the outside, but I can only be known from within, that is, from the heart". Certainly the process of beatification, first, and of canonization, then, has allowed us to get closer to the heart of this person. Each experience and testimony was a piece that made up the mosaic of the extraordinary figure of this Pope. Surely, however, getting to the heart of a person like Wojtyla remains a mystery. We can say that in the heart of this Pope there has certainly been love for God and for our brothers and sisters, a love that is always in progress, which is never an accomplished fact in life.

What did you discover about Wojtyla new or, in any case, little known during your research?
Archbishop Oder: There are several historical aspects and of his life that emerged in the process that are little known. One of these is undoubtedly the relationship with Padre Pio that he has often met and with whom he has had a long correspondence. Beyond some letters already known, such as the one in which he asked for prayers for prof. Poltawska, her friend and collaborator, a dense correspondence emerged where the Blessed One asked the Saint of Pietrelcina for intercession prayers for the healing of the faithful. Or he asked for prayers for himself who, at the time, held the office of Chapter Vicar of the Diocese of Krakow, awaiting the appointment of the new Archbishop who will then be himself.

Other?
Archbishop Oder: We have discovered much about the spirituality of John Paul II. More than anything, it was a confirmation of what was already perceivable, visible of his relationship with God. An intimate relationship with the living Christ, especially in the Eucharist from which flowed all that we faithful saw in him as the fruit of extraordinary charity , apostolic zeal, passion for the Church, love for the mystical body. This is the secret of holiness of John Paul II.

So, beyond the great journeys and the great speeches, is the spiritual aspect the heart of the pontificate of John Paul II?
Archbishop Oder: Absolutely. And there is a very touching episode that identifies him very well. The sick Pope, at the end of one of his last apostolic journeys, is dragged into the bedroom by his collaborators. The same, the next morning, find the bed intact because John Paul II had spent the whole night in prayer, on his knees, on the ground. For him, gathering in prayer was fundamental. So much so that, in the last months of his life, he asked to have a space in the bedroom for the Blessed Sacrament. His relationship with the Lord was truly extraordinary.

The Pope was also very devoted to Mary ...
Archbishop Oder: Yes, and the canonization process has helped us to get closer to this too. We investigated Wojtyla's profound relationship with Our Lady. A relationship that external people sometimes could not understand and that seemed surprising. Sometimes during the Marian prayer the Pope appeared rapt in ecstasy, estranged himself from the surrounding context, like a walk, a meeting. He lived a very personal relationship with the Madonna.

So there is also a mystical aspect in John Paul II?
Archbishop Oder: Definitely yes. I cannot confirm visions, elevations or allocutions, like those with which mystical life is often identified, but with John Paul II the aspect of a profound and authentic mysticism was present and manifested with his being in the presence of God. A true mystical is, in fact, the one who has the awareness of being in the presence of God, and lives everything starting from a profound encounter with the Lord.

For years she has lived to the figure of this man already considered a saint in life. How does it feel to see him now elevated to the honors of the altars?
Archbishop Oder: The canonization process was an extraordinary adventure. It certainly marks my priestly life. I have a great gratitude for God who placed this teacher of life and faith before me. For me these 9 years of the trial were a human adventure and an extraordinary course of spiritual exercises preached 'indirectly' with his life, his writings, with everything that came out of the research.

Do you have personal memories?
Archbishop Oder: I have never been one of Wojtyla's closest collaborators, but I have in my heart several occasions when I have been able to breathe the holiness of the Pope. One of these dates back to the beginning of my priesthood, Holy Thursday of 1993, the year in which the Pope wanted to wash the feet of the priests involved in the formation of seminarians. I was among those priests. Beyond the ritual symbolic value, for me remains the first contact with a person who in that authentically humble gesture, communicated to me his love for Christ and for the priesthood itself. Another occasion came back towards the last months of the Pope's life: he was sick, and suddenly I found myself having dinner with him, together with the secretaries, the collaborators and a few other priests. There too I remember this simplicity and the great sense of welcome, of humanity, which transpired in the simplicity of his gestures.

Benedict XVI recently said in an interview that he has always known he lived next to a saint. His "Hurry up, but do well" is famous, when he authorized the start of the beatification process by the Pope ...
Archbishop Oder: I was very pleased to read the testimony of the Pope emeritus. It was the confirmation of what he always made clear in the course of his pontificate: whenever possible he spoke of his beloved predecessor, in private or in public during the homilies and speeches. He has always given great testimony to the affection for John Paul II. And, for my part, I can express a strong gratitude to Benedetto for the attitude he has shown in these years. I have always felt very close to him and I can say that he was instrumental in opening the beatification process shortly after death. Looking at the latest historical events, I must say that Divine Providence has made a magnificent "direction" of the whole process.

Do you also see continuity with Pope Francis?
Archbishop Oder: The Magisterium continues, the charism of Peter continues. Each of the Popes gives consistency and historical form determined by personal experience and one's own personality. One cannot fail to see continuity. More specifically, there are different aspects for which Francis remembers John Paul II: the deep desire to be close to people, the courage to go beyond certain patterns, the passion for Christ present in his mystical Body, dialogue with the world and with other religions.

One of Wojtyla's unfulfilled wishes was to visit China and Russia. It seems that Francesco is opening a way in this direction ...
Archbishop Oder: It is extraordinary that John Paul II's efforts to open up to the East have proliferated with his successors. The road opened by Wojtyla found fertile ground with Benedict's thought and, now, thanks to the historical events that accompany the pontificate of Francis, they are concretely realized. It is always the dialectic of continuity of which we spoke first, which is the logic of the Church: no one starts from scratch, the stone is Christ who acted in Peter and in his successors. Today we live the preparation of what will happen in the Church tomorrow.

It is also said that John Paul II had the desire to visit Medjugorje. Confirmation?
Archbishop Oder: Speaking privately with his friends, more than once the Pope said: "If it were possible I would like to go". These are words not to be interpreted, however, with a recognition or official character to events in the Bosnian country. The Pope has always been very careful in moving, aware of the importance of his assignment. There is no doubt, however, that in Medjugorje things happen that transform people's hearts, especially in the confessional. Then the desire expressed by the Pope is to be interpreted from the perspective of his priestly passion, that is, of wanting to be in a place where a soul seeks Christ and finds it, thanks to a priest, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation or the Eucharist.

And why didn't he go there?
Archbishop Oder: Because not everything is possible in life….

Source: http://www.zenit.org/it/articles/quando-giovanni-paolo-ii-voleva-andare-a-medjugorje