The Sisters and Pope John Paul II
Pope Leo XIV was elected pope this past May in a historic first for the Catholic Church, as he is the first pope from the United States. This was celebrated by so many Americans who were overjoyed with the news, but it was especially applauded by people from the Chicago area. Pope Leo XIV grew up in the suburb of Dolton, right outside Chicago. When discussing the election of our new pope, a question came up to the Sisters here: Have any of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago met a pope before? The answer is yes. The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago have a connection to Pope John Paul II. Several of the Sisters have had the opportunity to meet him over the years. This article highlights some of these moments as well as his historic trip to Chicago in 1979.
Pope John Paul II was one of the most beloved popes in modern times. Born Karol Józef WojtyÅ‚a in Wadowice, Poland, in 1920, he was the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century and one of the longest serving popes in history. He was elected in 1978 and not long after began a series of overseas trips before making his historical trip to his home country of Poland in 1979. Later in the summer of 1979, he announced his first trip to America as pope and would tour several US cities. The Archbishop of Chicago, John Cardinal Cody, invited Pope John Paul II to visit Chicago during his tour. The Archdiocese of Chicago is one of the biggest dioceses in the United States and contains the largest population of Polish-Americans.
Pope John Paul II at Five Holy Martyrs in Chicago in 1979.
Pope John Paul II also had a prior close connection to Chicago. When he was a Cardinal, he visited Chicago as part of a delegation, first in 1969 and then again in 1976. Both times that he visited Chicago, he stayed at the rectory of Five Holy Martyrs Parish in Brighton Park. Five Holy Martyrs Parish had a very large Polish community. The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago served as teachers and in administration at Five Holy Martyrs School from 1912-1994, one of the longest serving tenures in their education ministry. The pastor at Five Holy Martyrs was Bishop Alfred Abramowicz who held a long connection to the parish as he was also baptized there. He also had a long-lasting friendship with Pope John Paul II going back to the 1960s since he was also of Polish heritage and served as a strong advocate for the Polish community.
Five Holy Martyrs faculty with Pope John Paul II before he was Pope and was still a Cardinal. (Standing) Srs. Ferdinand, Lenore, Francis Clare, Rosalima, Clarent Marie, Archangela, and Francine. (Seated) Bishop Abramowicz, and Cardinal Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II).
He worked with the Catholic League for Religious Assistance to Poland which helped support the Catholic Church in Poland during the communist period. Bishop Abramowicz was instrumental in planning the Cardinal's delegation trips in 1969 and 1976 and helping coordinate the Pope’s 1979 trip to Chicago. The Sisters got to meet the future Pope John Paul II (then Karol Cardinal Wojtyla) on both occasions during his stay at Five Holy Martyrs. The parish held a welcoming ceremony. “Several of us got to meet him when he was a Cardinal on both of his visits. He was very thoughtful and took the time to speak to all of us. He was so humble and very thankful for the ceremony and the amazing welcome the parish gave him,” Sr. M. Francis Clare Radke said.
In 1979, Pope John Paul II began his trip to the United States when he landed in Boston on October 1. From Boston he flew to New York, Philadelphia, and then Des Moines. He arrived in Chicago on October 4. He landed at O’Hare International Airport and was welcomed by Gov. Jim Thompson of Illinois and Mayor Jane Byrne of Chicago. Once in Chicago, he held a prayer service at Holy Name Cathedral. Some of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago attended this service which was highlighted with singing from Luciano Pavarotti, the famous Italian operatic tenor. Pavarotti sang a beautiful version of “Ave Maria,” complete with a full orchestra and choir. After the prayer service, Pope John Paul II went to St. Peter’s Catholic Church in the Loop in Chicago where he gave a speech to the parishioners.
Pope John Paul II leads a prayer service at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.
The next morning, he traveled to Providence of God Church in Pilsen where nearly 75,000 people greeted him. His motorcade then drove to Five Holy Martyrs Church where he celebrated a morning open-air Mass spoken in the Polish language to over 17,000 people who crowded the neighborhood to view the Pope. Houses in the neighborhood were decorated with welcome signs and posters celebrating his visit. Many of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago attended this Mass describing it as a joyful, memorable occasion. They remember the enormous crowd that attended the beautiful Mass with everyone united in prayer. During the Mass he paid tribute to the Polish-American community, and noted that their offertory gifts represented, “all the contributions that the sons and daughters of our first homeland, Poland, have made to the history and to the life of their second homeland across the ocean.” Bishop Abramowicz presented an honorary street sign to the Pope. The city of Chicago passed a proposal where a section of West 43rd street (the street where Five Holy Martyrs resides) would be renamed “Pope John Paul II Drive.” The street still holds this name to this day. The Pope then made his way to Quigley Preparatory Seminary where he addressed the crowd of seminarians and staff. After stopping at Quigley, the Pope took a helicopter to Grant Park in Chicago. It was here he held a historical Mass. It would be the largest Mass ever held in Chicago as over one million people attended inside and outside the park to view the Pope and celebrate Mass. In total, the Pope was in Chicago for just 37 hours, but he made a lifetime of memories for all who were able to see him and pray with him.
Pope John Paul II at Five Holy Martyrs in Chicago in 1979.
Pope John Paul II with Sr. M. Francine Labus and Sr. M. Alvernia Groszek
The Sisters’ connection to Pope John Paul II continued over the years. Sr. M. Francine Labus and Sr. M Alvernia Groszek went to Rome a few years later and met him and several Cardinals. They presented him with material on the saintly cause of Mother Mary Theresa Dudzik, foundress of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago. This material would include a copy of The Chronicle (her personal journal writings), testimonies from others on her heroic virtue, and other items intended to advance further her saintly cause. Pope John Paull II would eventually declare Mother Mary Theresa Dudzik Venerable in 1994.
In 2004, Sr. M. Francis Clare Radke and Sr. Diane Marie Collins went on a trip to Rome. They received a gift from John Grele, Director of Plant Operations at Our Lady of Victory Convent. He provided them with tickets for the general audience with the Pope in St. Peter’s Square. Both Sisters arrived in the square and were shocked when they were seated in an area as special guests. When Pope John Paul II arrived, he was greeted with cheers, applause, and tears of joy. After a brief address, he blessed the crowd of people. Then everyone in the square sang Regina Coeli. Afterwards, the Pope began to receive visitors and to the Sisters' surprise, they were able to meet him. “When we knelt before the Holy Father, we praised the Lord in Polish. He gently touched Sr. Diane Marie’s left cheek. Sr. Diane Marie presented the Holy Father with a letter that asked for his prayers for our congregation and for the beatification of Mother Mary Theresa Dudzik. We included a donation to his charities and beatification prayer cards. I will always remember this prayerful experience,” Sr. Francis Clare remembers. Just a year later, Pope John Paul II would pass away. He would be celebrated around the world as one of the great religious leaders of our time. The Sisters felt very privileged and happy to get a chance to meet him and pray with him.
Pope John Paull II with Sr. M. Francis Clare Radke and Sr. Diane Marie Collins.