He who takes the road of later ends then on the road of never. I know some people who seem to turn life into a perpetual waiting room. The trains come and go …
— Pope Blessed John Paul I
By Matthew August
On Sunday, Sept. 4, Pope John Paul I will be beatified by his successor, Pope Francis. Remembered by many as “the smiling pope,” much of the holiness of this incredible figure remains hidden by the gigantic legacy of his successor, Pope St. John Paul II. After all, John Paul I was only pope for 33 days before his death.
Not many know the story behind this beautiful pope, who continually sought God’s Heart.
On the side of the workers
Albino Luciani was born on Oct. 17, 1912, in Belluno, Northern Italy. He was part of a working-class family, the son of a bricklayer. When Luciani was 10, a Capuchin friar visited the town to deliver a series of Lenten sermons. The young boy was awestruck and filled with heavenly fire. He discovered his inner call to the priesthood.
“I hope that when you become a priest you will be on the side of the workers, for Christ Himself would have been on their side,” said the boy’s father, when young Luciani told him the news.
Despite being “too lively” and extremely vivacious, Luciani was admitted to seminary and was ordained a priest in 1935.
Spreader of happiness
Luciani left an indelible mark on everyone he interacted with, being remembered for his warmth. His ministry emphasized the importance of humility and simple living. He believed that anyone could make their life precious without needing to seek worldly treasures.
“The Christian should be characterized by an effort to see things in the best light,” said Luciani. “If it is true that the word Evangelos means good news, then Christian means happy man, spreader of happiness.”
In 1978, Pope St. Paul VI died, causing the cardinals to assemble in conclave and elect the next leader of the Church. Luciani was invited to the conclave, but no one considered him a worthy successor.
Have any of you felt ignored or unacknowledged by your peers? Our pain does not go unnoticed. God is planning something extraordinary with your life, just as He did for Luciani. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (Jas 4:10).
Revitalize the Church
Despite alleged opposition, Luciani became pope on Aug. 26, 1978, taking the name Pope John Paul I in honor of his two immediate predecessors. He immediately initiated a plan to revitalize the Church by revising canon law and creating a path of dialogue without watering down any Church doctrine.
Some officials in the Church treated him condescendingly when he rose to the papacy. He was criticized frequently for his inward lifestyle and leading a life of isolation, which many saw as seclusion and loneliness.
However, when Pope John Paul I would go about among the public, he left a mark people would remember, with his capacity to love, boundless warmth, humility, that smile, and his powerful and quiet zeal to fi ght for the good in humanity.
Pope John Paul I made a prediction that his papacy would not last long, but the world was still shocked when he died only 33 days into office, on Sept. 28, 1978.
Miracle
Pope John Paul I’s name reappears in headlines today, as we learn of an incredible miracle of a young sick girl, Candela Giarda, in Buenos Aires. The doctors and medical personnel informed Roxana Sosa that nothing could be done to heal her daughter’s fatal condition. She was diagnosed with “severe acute inflammatory encephalopathy, a malignant refractory epileptic illness, and septic shock.” But her mother refused to give up.
Alongside Fr. José Dabusti, Roxana entrusted her daughter to the Servant of God, Pope John Paul I. Her daughter began experiencing relief overnight. Her sickness, which gave her the medical assignment “imminent death,” suddenly disappeared.
Pope Francis, the former archbishop of Buenos Aires, recognized it as a miracle obtained by the intercession of Pope John Paul I.
“Miracles exist, and I saw it with Candela,” said Roxana Sosa.
John Paul I, we pray that we may have the same effect on the world as you had. Although your time was short, you touched the hearts of those around you with the warmth of God.
Pope Blessed John Paul I, pray for us!
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