Oct. 22 is the feast of St. John Paul II, secondary patron of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. During this centenary of his birth in 1920 we reached out to two teachers at his namesake school, St. John Paul II Academy in Surrey, for their recollections and memories.
Transformative experience at the tomb
In 2005, at the age of 22, I vividly remember when it was announced that after suffering from Parkinson’s disease for more than 12 years, Pope John Paul II had died.
Watching his funeral on television had an impact on me as it was the first funeral of a pope that I had experienced. I was impressed when it was mentioned his funeral was one of the largest gatherings of statesman and world leaders.
Inherently aware of what the ceremony meant for the future of the Catholic Church, I felt a sense of emptiness as the world lost a resilient religious leader. Aware of Pope John Paul II’s legacy and attachment for youth, I felt a sense of responsibility to continue his passionate work of building up the future Church. As a Catholic teacher, I had opportunities to witness and interact with students, knowing that I had a role to play in shaping the future through my vocation.
Ten years later, I found myself at the side chapel altar and tomb where John Paul II has been laid in St. Peter’s Basilica. Although it was my third visit to Rome and the basilica, I was in the presence of his gravesite for the first time. I felt a pull to stop and pray at the holy altar.
It was there, in that moment of prayer, that I felt an inner change. I inherently knew that my life was going to have a connection to the spirit of John Paul II.
Little did I know that shortly after my trip, my friend would ask me to pray for her husband whose initial diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease had been upgraded to MSA (Multiple System Atrophy), a rare, severely rapid degenerative neurological disorder affecting the body’s involuntary functions.
Feeling helpless as I watched my friend cope with the diagnosis, I found myself fervently praying to St. John Paul II for a miracle. Knowing of the two miracles that were attributed to him after people had prayed through his intercession, I felt that my prayers were the strongest means of support I could give my friend and her husband at the time.
Although her husband passed away from his illness, I will forever remember that our friendship held a connection to the spirit of St. John Paul II during a difficult time.
Charmaine Jansen
Crossing paths with a great saint
Pope John Paul II came to Vancouver in September of 1984. I had just started Grade 11 at the Seminary of Christ the King. As a new seminarian I found myself with the group leading the Rosary for those waiting overnight at Abbotsford Airport. The next day, at the Papal Mass, I was in the front row!
Fast forward to the summer of 2016. I had the chance to visit the Pope’s homeland. I went with my son (who was then a seminarian himself) to Poland for World Youth Day. I walked Krakow’s streets thinking about the Pope and eating a lot of those cream cake desserts he loved. With millions of other people, I saw his world, read his words, and praised God for the gift of Karol Wojtyla.
My meetings with him continued to deepen. In 2017, my family visited the Abbey of St. Walburga in Colorado. There we held the sleeves of the Pope’s cassock! The sisters treasure this incredible relic: a visible reminder of the man himself. Seeing him and visiting his homeland had expanded to holding what he held. I felt his presence like I had not so far. It was another step closer to him.
Then in 2018 I was hired as one of the first teachers at the Catholic Independent Schools of Vancouver Archdiocese’s newest high school: St. John Paul II Academy. Now, I share with my students what was given to me by the Pope: to “be not afraid,” and to go out into the world and live the new evangelization. My personal and professional meetings with St. John Paul have converged at school. What was one day in 1984 has now become a daily reality.
What makes any of my encounters with Pope John Paul II so amazing is that they are always providential moments of grace that God gives to me as a gift for that time in my life. I often reflect back on these experiences and am so grateful for the opportunity to “cross paths” with such a great saint.
Anthony Walters
The B.C. Catholic will publish more reflections about St. John Paul II in an upcoming issue. If you have a personal story about Pope John Paul II or want to share with readers the impact he has had on your life, write us at letters@rcav.org.
