“Sacred Heart of Jesus”

June 2, 2009

Year of St. Paul

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Welcome to June, the month that is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

While we ponder the mystery of love that flows from the Heart of Christ, it is also good to think about the heart of another great man who followed mightily in His footsteps and served the Church as His Vicar -- Blessed John XXIII.

Pope John XXIII died on June 3, 1963 and was declared Blessed by Pope John Paul II on September 3, 2000.  It’s difficult to try to describe “good Pope John,” as Pope John Paul II referred to him, especially to those who never “knew” the Church before he was pope.

In my opinion he is really the great protagonist who “opened the windows of the Church to let in some fresh air.” The “airing out” was the Second Vatican Council, summoned by Blessed John 50 years ago on January 25, 1959.  Today, the richness of Vatican II is still being plumbed by the Church all over the world.

This month, take some time to get to know the gentle man whom former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev called “a man of peace.”  Some of his spiritual reflections may be found in his book: “The Journal of a Soul.”  It is still a masterpiece of spiritual reading.  His encyclicals stand out in the area of Catholic social teaching and faith development in the modern age. “Mater et Magistra” (“Mother and Teacher,” 1961) and “Pacem in Terris” (“Peace on Earth,” 1963) are two of the most significant of his writings.

Blessed John XXIII paved the way for the leadership of Pope Paul VI through the turbulent 60s and 70s. John’s greatness was experienced in the altogether too short life and reign of John Paul I, the “smiling pope.”  The impact, of course, of Blessed John’s magnificent pastoral persona, came to life in the reign of Pope John Paul the Great.  Now, we experience the effective teaching and pastoral greatness of Benedict XVI, who himself was in attendance at Vatican II as a young priest and professor of theology.

For those of us old enough to remember Blessed John XXIII in real life, it seems like just yesterday.  And, if Blessed John is a “historic figure” for you, he is one you might want to get to know a little better.  

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Rome, Blessed John’s nearly incorruptible body lies in a glass coffin under one of the altars near the confessionals in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Faithfully in Christ,

Most Reverend William Patrick Callahan

Archdiocesan Administrator
Archdiocese of Milwaukee

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