Honoring John Paul the Great

Pastor's Points: Honoring John Paul the Great

On March 15 ^th at the 9:15 Mass, our new statue of Saint John Paul II will be blessed and the shrine dedicated in his honor. About a year ago, I presented the idea of building a shrine honoring John Paul the Great to some individuals. Due to the generosity of a number of parishioners, this vision has become a reality. The commission for this statue was given to Norbert Koehn, who carved the crucifix in our church, the Stations of the Cross and the statue of St. Thomas More. My instructions to Norbert were to capture the vibrancy of John Paul and how many of us remember him. I knew I wanted him to be vested as he would be for Mass and holding his crozier, - his shepherd’s staff. The idea was that John Paul would be looking out over the congregation as we gathered for Eucharist. Norbert wrote the following about his creation of this statue:

Since his inaugural mass in 1978, “be not afraid” became the refrain of Pope John Paul II’s homilies. His strength and his message is portrayed in the life-size sculpture for St. Thomas More Church.

The representation is from his early years of papacy: a vibrant man standing erect as a forceful leader, but at the same time fatherly, kind and humble.

His vestment is simple and understated. A gentle breeze moves through the drapery to give lifelike impression. As a sign of his leadership and devotion, he gestures a blessing with his outstretched right hand and in his left hand he holds his trademark crosier/crucifix. With attentive eyes he greets his congregation.

The base is inscribed with his papal seal and motto: “Totus Tuuos” “Totally Thine.”

Linden wood is used to harmonize with the present sculptures of St. Thomas More and the Crucifix in the sanctuary.

May the emotions and sensitivities represented in this sculpture of a charismatic and loving Pope, St. John Paul II, evoke reflection, prayer and inspiration for your spirit and your heart.


It is my hope that the presence of John Paul in our church will always remind us of his call for the New Evangelization. The St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. notes this on their website:

St. John Paul II first called for a “new evangelization” some thirty years ago. Throughout his pontificate, the Holy Father encouraged renewed efforts in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who seek the truth. The "new evangelization" seeks to share anew the basic Christian message of salvation and faith in Jesus Christ to people of today.
(Read more on the New Evangelization here: http://www.jp2shrine.org/jp/en/ev/whatis.html)

It is my desire and prayer that John Paul the Great will be a constant reminder for us as a parish community of his directive to “be not afraid” in our life of faith. We can never be afraid to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ through word and deed. May we take up the call to be true heralds of the new evangelization as we commit ourselves ever more to making Christ known in our midst.

Pope Saint John Paul II, pray for us!