SAINT JOHN PAUL ll

Unique medal honoring St. John Paul ll.

Pope John Paul ll was born Karol Josef Woytyla on May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland.  He was ordained a priest in 1946.  He became cardinal in 1967 and the pope in 1978.  He made history by becoming the first non-Italian pope in more than 400 years.  As the Vicar of Christ and the successor of St. Peter, he has revolutionized the office of the modern pope.  He has taken his mission out of the Vatican and traveled to more than 100 countries spreading his message of faith and peace.  He had a great love of prayer, especially Eucharistic prayer.  He has written an extraordinary number of encyclicals, letters and homilies.  He canonized 482 saints and beatified 1,338 people.  He was also a vocal advocate for human rights who was credited with the fall of communism in his native Poland.

Pope John Paul ll was a great influence on the youth.  He always had a wonderful relationship from his early days as a priest by inviting them to mass, conferences, hiking and spending time outdoors until his last days as the pope always inspiring them with his strong faith and love for them.  He reached out to them when he became pope and gathered with millions of youth around the world throughout his pontificate and during World Youth Day.  Pope John Paul ll was blessed with charisma and a youthful spirit and it showered through the love that the youth had for him.

"Do not be afraid to be the saints of the new millennium, if you become what you are, you will set the whole world on fire."

+St. John Paul ll+

Pope John Paul ll died on April 2, 2005.  Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Bendict XVI, presided at the funeral Mass and concluded his homily by saying: "None of us can ever forget how, on the last Easter Sunday of his llife, the Holy Father, marked by suffering, came once more to the window of the Apostolic Palace and one last time gave his blessing urbi et orbi ('to the city and to the world').

St. John Paul ll is the patron of World Youth Day.  His feast day is celebrated on October 22nd.

DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS

LIFE IS A BLESSING COLLECTION

October is Down Syndrome Awareness month.

These unique and beautiful sacramentals celebrate life and remind us that "life is a blessing".  Wear these powerful sacramentals in honor of those with Down syndrome.

In honor of life and Dr. Jerome Lejeune, a percentage of the proceeds of the 'Life is a Blessing' collection will be donated to the Jerome Lejeune Foundation.  Dr. Jerome Lejeune was a passionate doctor, a dedicated research worker and a valiant defender of life.  He discovered that the presence of an extra twenty-first chromosome causes Down syndrome.  Dr. Lejeune was an incredible role model to many by his ability to combine his Catholic faith with his amazing abilities as a scientist.

Handmade in the awareness colors of Down syndrome, blue and yellow, these sacramentals are a reminder as Dr. Jerome Lijeune said that 'Before God and man we bear witness that for us every human is a person'.

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

This beautiful little wrap is a wonderful reminder to honor, remember and support women with breast cancer.  Wear this bracelet in honor of your grandmother, mother, sister, daughter, cousin, friend, neighbor and all women with breast caner.  The tiny Miraculous Mary medal or St. Michael the Archangel medal is strung unto pink cord and has a slip knot closure which is adjustable.  the sacramental comes wrapped on a cared, ready for giving.  This bracelet is also a wonderful reminder to pray everyday for those who have breast cancer.

A percentage of the sale of this little sacramental will be donated to Atalie's Hope, a not for profit foundation dedicated to helping children of women who have lost their fight with breast cancer.  Along with breast cancer awareness, Atalie's Hope supports children both emotionally and financially to bring comfort and a little bit of joy.

PRAYER TO ST. AGATHA FOR HEALING OF BREAST CANCER

St. Agatha, woman of valor, from your own suffering we have been moved to ask your prayers for those of us who suffer from breast cancer.  We place the name (s) before you, and ask you to intercede on their behalf.  from where you stand in the health of life eternal - all wounds healed, and all tears wiped away - pray for _____________, and all of us.  Pray God will give us His holy benediction of health and healing.  And, we remember  you were a victim of torture and that you learned, first hand, of human cruelty and inhumanity.  We ask you to pray for our entire world.  Ask God to enlighten us with a "genius for peace and understanding."  Ask Him to send us His Spirit of Serenity, and ask Him to help us share that peace with all we meet.  From what you learned, from your own path of pain, ask God to give us the Grace we need to remain holy in difficulties, not allowing our anger or our bitterness to overtake us.  Pray that we will be more peaceful and more charitable.  And from your holy place in our mystical body, the Church, pray that we, in our place and time will. together, create a world of justice and peace. Amen.