Saint John Paul II National Shrine

Happy feast day of St. Paulinus of Nola!

Paulinus was born in 354 AD in Bordeaux. His wife Theresia, the Bishop Delphinus of Bordeaux, and St. Martin of Tours guided him toward conversion. After the death of his infant son and the death of his brother, for which he was accused, he and Theresia decided to embrace poverty and chastity, living a monastic life, and moved to Spain. Five years later, Paulinus was ordained a priest and returned to Nola, where he was ordained as bishop in 409. As a bishop, he practiced devotion to the saints, studied Scripture, wrote hymns, and served the poor.

“In fact, he who dwells in this city, is revealed to be One in three persons.... Christ is not only the foundation of the city but also its tower and door.... If the house of our soul is founded on Him and a construction rises on Him worthy of such a great foundation, then the door of admission into the city will be precisely him who will lead us forever and will take us to the place of his pasture." - St. Paulinus, Letter 28,2 to Severus

St. Paulinus of Nola, pray for us!
St. John Paul II, pray for us!

Audience (October 17, 2001) | John Paul II - https://ow.ly/HbII50W9qhO

Image: Saint Paulinus of Nola. Line engraving. (wiki commons: public domain)

Happy feast day of St. Thomas More!

“Whenever men or women heed the call of truth, their conscience then guides their actions reliably towards good. Precisely because of the witness which he bore, even at the price of his life, to the primacy of truth over power, Saint Thomas More is venerated as an imperishable example of moral integrity.” - JPII, 10/31/00

“I die as the king’s true servant, but God’s first.” - St. Thomas More

St. Thomas More, pray for us!
St. John Paul II, pray for us!

Proclaiming St. Thomas More the Patron Saint of Politicians (October 31, 2000) | John Paul II - https://ow.ly/pv4v50YFTkR
Image: Hans Holbein, the Younger - Sir Thomas More (wiki commons: public domain)

We thank God for the gift of fatherhood — fathers, both in heaven and on earth, who reveal to us the immense love of our heavenly Father!

Adam Bujak Photograph Collection (copyright)