Pope John 23 Notes

POPE JOHN XXIII * Found meaning in life by helping others * Significant contribution to development of Christianity. * Contributed Socially, Politically and liturgically. * Ecumenism – major influence for Catholic Church. * Advocate of Christian unity, social justice, human rights, and promotion world peace. * “People’s Pope” – friendly, sense of humour, gracious and humble. * Family – poor. * Believed that kindness can be offered without money. * Often visited prisons. * Emphasizing forgiveness and will to help less fortunate. * Took part in creating UN Declaration of Human Rights. * Won peace prizes & Presidential Medal of Freedom. * Through contribution to social aspect, made example to Catholics. * Represented what God wanted of humanity. * Was not private – showed world that you can be any faith and make world better place. * “Born poor, but of honoured and humble people. I am proud to die poor”
-Pope John XXIII * Important Vatican documents – ‘Mater er Magistra’ “Mother and Teacher” * Pacem in terries (Peace on Earth) – addressing peace in midst of Cold War. * Major concern was uniting gap between rich and poor. * Asked for a more just society and world. * Documents changed way Catholic Church approached social issues. * Made Church more ‘human’ – people could relate to him. * Acted as a person, not an authority figure that could never be reached. * He was an inspiration man that faced many hardships in his life. * One of first acts as Pope was to improve wages and social position og his Vatican empolyees. * Had to reach people on ground level. * Belived Church needed to be updated, modernised, renewed. * Believed all different faiths were on similar paths of finding peace and bettering themselves. * One of the first Popes to enter into Polotics. * In 1962 he excommunicated the Cuban President Fidel Castro, because of Pope Pius XII’s