St. James Catholic Church in Gadsden is planning the fourth annual feast day celebration in honor of St. John Paul II to be held on Friday, Oct. 22. Everyone is welcome. Oct. 22 is the feast day of St. John Paul II who was pope from 1978 to 2005. He was born Karol Wojtyla in Poland and was canonized a saint in 2014 by Pope Francis. While pope, St. John Paul II was widely travelled and well known throughout the world. He is thought of as being instrumental in the downfall of communism and is known as a friendly “peoples’ pope.” 

Beginning at 5 p.m., there will be a rosary, followed by a procession at 5:30 p.m. Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Steven J. Raica at 6 p.m., and a meal will take place afterwards. Bishop Raica will speak on the papacy of St. John Paul II. 

On display will be a first-class relic of St. John Paul II that is kept in a side altar of St. James Catholic Church. The relic, a drop of St. John Paul II’s blood, is housed in a reliquary from Poland, which was made available to St. James by His Eminence Cardinal Stanislaus Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland. Bishop Emeritus Robert J. Baker, then Bishop of Birmingham, reached out the cardinal on behalf of Father Jose Chacko, pastor of St. James. Cardinal Dziwisz is the former personal secretary to then Pope John Paul II and was associated with the pope for over 40 years.

In order to properly and reverently display the relic, several parishioners were involved in the building and decorating of a side altar. Funds for the altar were raised by donations without any church funds being expended. A reliquary bearing the papal crest was ordered from Poland to hold the relic. A crucifix obtained in Poland is centered at the top of the altar. Framed documentation along with an English translation provided by Father Bernard Denson are also displayed. Framed pictures of St. John Paul II and the Divine Mercy complete the display for the altar.

A special invitation to all persons of Polish descent is hereby extended. Those churches wishing to view the relic and have a program on St. John Paul II in their parish may contact Father Jose Chacko for arrangements.