2008 Woodie Awards
Life of Pope John Paul II remembered
Lawrence Mudduse
Issue date: 4/25/05 Section: News
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His mother died in childbirth on 13th April 1929, a month before his 9th birthday. His older brother, a doctor died when he was 12. By 21, his entire immediate family had gone to the Lord.
Such was the early life of Karol Jozef Wojtyla who came to be known to the world as Pope John Paul II on 16th October 1978 when he was chosen as the first Polish Pope in history, and the first non-Italian since the 16th century.
Though life seemed to be cruel to him early on, he made the best of it. He became a dramactor and poet. In this way, he entertained his friends at work and all others that were daunted by the Nazi government.
However, life as an actor was not to be. He joined an underground seminary in Krakow and was ordained a priest on 2 November 1946. He continued with his studies in Rome obtaining two doctorates in Theology and Philosophy.
At 38 years, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Krakow thus becoming the youngest bishop in Poland. He participated in all the sessions of Vatican II Council from 1962-1965.
He was elevated to Cardinal in 1967 thus becoming an elector at the death of the pope. This duty came to him in August 1978 when Paul VI died.
In that conclave, Albino Luciano was elected the new pope. He took the names of John Paul I. But he died of a heart attack in his bed, 34 days later. Hence another conclave was convened.
It is rumored when elections had hit a deadlock, some cardinals started whispering the name of Wojtyla.
One cardinal had problems with hearing let alone pronouncing the name whispered. So he asked, "Who is 'Botglia?'" The cardinal who was seated next to him shoved him with his hand because Woytila was seated nearby.
When the cardinals went to pay homage to the new Pontiff immediately after the elections, John Paul II told this cardinal, "I think you now know who 'Botglia' is."
