The Venerable Pope John Paul I

[Nelka]

In his short reign is there anything he accomplished, finished, started etc.

I believe there was a reason he was chosen to be Pope.

Thanks.

 

[Genesis315]

He didn’t really do much as Pope–but Pope’s aren’t born into the papacy–he had a whole life beforehand where he could have exhibited heroic virtue.

 

[EricF]

Perhaps they aren’t, but Sister Lucia of Fatima fame foretold his becoming pope. He was sort of a protégé of John XXIII who saw genuine humility and holiness in him.

 

[the_coppersmith]

Short biography.

Some books:

" A Passionate Adventure: Living the Catholic Faith Today " (a large selection of English translations of Luciani’s sermons, talks and articles on the faith from 1959 to 1978)

" The Smiling Pope: The Life And Teaching Of John Paul I "

" God’s Candidate: The Life and Times of Pope John Paul I "

" Illustrissimi: Letters from Pope John Paul I "

 

[the_coppersmith]

Vatican page for John Paul I, with some of his work as Pope.

He also set some policies in motion.

After he became pope in 1978 he had set six plans down which would dictate his pontificate:

• To renew the church through the policies implemented by Vatican II.
• To revise canon law.
• To remind the church of its duty to preach the Gospel.
• To promote church unity without watering down doctrine.
• To promote dialogue.
• To encourage world peace and social justice.

Also:

• He was the first modern pope to speak in the singular form, using ‘I’ instead of the royal we.
• He initially refused to use the sedia gestatoria until others convinced him of its need in order to allow himself to be seen by crowds. He was the last pope to use it.
• He was the first pope to refuse to be crowned. Instead of a coronation, he inaugurated his papacy with a “papal inauguration” where he received the papal pallium as the symbol of his position as Bishop of Rome.

His secretary Fr. Lorenzi stated in a TV interview that as Pope, John Paul I:

• the day after his election studied the Annuario, the Vatican’s yearbook, to familiarize himself with the organizational chart, then set about taking things in hand.
• met regularly with the Secretary of State and also had meetings with all the cardinals who headed Vatican departments
• was not overwhelmed
• was keenly concerned about the breach with Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and hoped to address the problem as soon as possible, because the unity of the church concerned him more than many other things which the press seemed interested in.
• although he didn’t use the phrase new evangelization, he not only preached it and lived it. In a speech to the College of Cardinals the morning after his election, John Paul I said: “I want to recall to the entire church that her first duty is still evangelization.”
• he used to call children onto the stage at the end of his audiences, making some fairly profound points in simple language.