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"Prayer can truly change your life, for it turns your attention away from yourself and directs your mind and your heart towards the Lord."

- Saint John Paul II

NEWS & FEATURES

Spring 2025

From the desk of Dr. John Corrigan

“We do not pretend that life is all beauty. We are aware of darkness and sin, of poverty and pain. But we know Jesus has conquered sin and passed through his own pain to the glory of the Resurrection. And we live in the light of his Paschal Mystery - the mystery of his Death and Resurrection.” (Angelus, November 30, 1986)

March 6, 2025

Dear friends of St. John Paul II,

Spring is nearly here, and as we enter the holy season of lent let’s remember the encouragement of John Paul II. Let’s not be afraid of this season of fasting and penance but enter it with open hearts fully anticipating the victory of Easter to come!

This winter has seen several developments.

· After a very successful Mass and celebration of St. John Paul II last fall, we had a Wigilia celebration. It was a big hit and brought many in our community together for great Polish food, prayer, song, and customs like sharing opłatek.

· We continue to gain a wide variety of passionate and dedicated students in our Master of Arts program. Students come from all backgrounds and walks of life to deepen their faith and learn more about John Paul II.

· Dr. Laurence Barton, a new student in the program produced a professional video at his own expense to share his experience about the John Paul II Master’s Program.

· Together with our partners at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków we released the third issue of Wojtyła Studies, volume 2:1.

· We began partnering with the Nesti Center for Faith and Culture here at UST to offer their students the opportunity to take courses with us toward their program’s degree. Ten students crossed over and took credits with us.

Thank you for all your prayers and support this year as always!

John Corrigan

Only two categories outperformed the St. John Paul II Institute on Giving Day 2025 (March 4th). The former president's fund (Ludwick Family Student Scholarship Fund) and the whole University fund (The St. Thomas Fund) itself!

We would not achieved this without a generosity of our wonderful supporters!!!

HIGHLIGHTS ON RECENT EVENTS

Saint John Paul II Feast Day: Mass and Reception - October 22nd, 2024

It was such an honor and pleasure to celebrate Saint John Paul II's Feast Day during the mass at St. Basil’s Chapel and the reception which followed at the Link Lee Mansion, University of St. Thomas on Tuesday, October 22nd.

Saint John Paul II Institute is thankful for all the great guests who joined the Feast!

We started with an incredible performance by the Schola - Sacred Music Club at UST directed by Mr. Lowell Davis, had a moving sermon by Fr. Dempsey Rosales-Acosta, and ended with a wonderful time at the reception with good talks and food by UST Catering.

Special thanks to Mr. Aleksander Ściborski, the Vice-Consul from the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland for coming to our event, Dr. Max Bonilla, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs at UST and the Metropolitan George M. Jachimczyk who brought to the mass a first-class relic of SJPII!

We are also grateful for the generous gift to SJPII Institute from Connie Little: a commemorative collection of stamps of Saint John Paul II.

Thank you to all our dear friends who joined us and to all who contributed to this amazing event.

We can't wait for the next JPII Feast Day, 2025!

God Bless y'all!

December 18th 2024 - Wigilia: Polish Christmas Eve at the ST JPII Institute

Our “Wigilia” Party this year was a big hit. Wigilia is Polish for “Vigil.” We held it at the Black

Lab and were honored to see many of our friends and supporters come out for an evening of

Polish customs, foods and prayers in preparation for Christmas. The Black Lab was filled with

festive decorations, singing Christmas carols, laughter and reconnecting with old friends.

This unforgettable event gathered over 50 people who sat at shared tables to try traditional Polish Christmas Eve meals which never include meat. The most popular are pierogi with potato and cheese or cabbage and mushrooms, fried fish, Greek fish, red borscht, cabbage with mushrooms, kutia (cooked wheat or barley and poppy seeds, honey and dried fruits, like raisins), vegetable salad, home-made spelt bread, dried fruit compote, delicious cakes any many more.

One of the most important beautiful Polish traditions before eating Christmas Evening's supper is sharing the wafer. While you share your wafer with beloved ones you give them your best wishes for Christmas and the whole upcoming new year.

An interesting fact is that in Polish tradition we find Christmas gifts under the Christmas tree right after Wigilia supper. We do not wait until Christmas morning! Following the tradition of giving a gift, all our guests returned home with small goodie bags:)

The Blessing of Jesus, Mary and Joseph be with all of you for the whole year of 2025!

February 10th: Wind of Freedom Photography Exhibition Opening and Reception at the Doherty Library, UST

With the support of the Doherty Library, UST we had the pleasure to host the Opening Evening for: Wind of Freedom the photography exhibition by Mr. Chris Niedenthal, a photojournalist and recipient of the prestigious World Press Photo Award.

The exhibition was brought by a non-profit organization Dot Dot Dot…Connect, from Austin, TX, which was founded by four Polish-American women with a mission to connect people of diverse communities.

Moderated by Dr. John Corrigan (St. JPII Institute) and introduced by Dr. Beata Krupa from Dot Dot Dot...Connect it was an exceptional occasion to listen to the story of Niedenthal's world career and the magic hidden in his photographs. His works became famous for capturing people's emotions.

The artist was always in the right place at the right time to capture key geopolitical events such as the fall of communism in Europe in the 1980s.

You may buy Chris Niedethal's pictures by contacting the Dot Dot Dot…Connect foundation.

Please also enjoy a great video creation about his work by Jacek Szymanski: click here.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Spring 2025

March 18th - April 8th

Tuesdays: 7:00pm-8:30pm, CST

History of Poland: From Slavic Tribes to the Fall of Communism

A mini course ONLINE with Dr. Piotr Przybylski, St JPII Institute, UST.

For 4 consecutive Spring weeks join the class to listen about the rich and turbulent history of Poland, a country in the middle of Europe 🤍❤️

April 29th, Tuesday, Black Lab, UST, 7:00 PM, CST

Fr. Dr. Witold Kania from the University of Silesia and a visiting professor at the SJPII Institute is coming to Houston with a lecture on John Paul II, reconciliation and forgiveness.

April 23rd, 30th and May 7th –

Encyclicals with Fr. Connors are back!

The Wisdom of John Paul II's Evangelium Vitae and Veritatis Splendor: Resisting Cooperation with Evil.

For 3 consecutive Wednesdays - April 23rd, 30th and May 7th, 7:00-8:30pm CST, we'll be examining the challenging topic of cooperation with evil in light of the teaching of John Paul II with our beloved instructor, Fr. Dr. Ryan Connors.

"(...) Contemporary believers often struggle to know if in the workplace, in business, in the voting booth, and in medicine if they are unwittingly cooperating with moral evil. The encyclicals Veritatis Splendor and Evangelium Vitae offer guidance for sound moral reasoning.

We will examine a bit of the history of Catholic reflection on this topic and how the teaching of John Paul II, drawing upon the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, offers the resources to answer these challenging questions.

We will draw upon the acclaimed new book Rethinking Cooperation

with Evil: A Virtue-Based Approach of Father Ryan Connors."

Poland Trip and Class

2 weeks in June 2026

Follow the path of Saint John Paul II…

For the MA or Certificate Programs in John Paul II Studies, students take an on-line class

entitled "JPII in the Context of Polish History and Culture" (JPII-5340-POL), with an option to travel to St. John Paul II’s homeland and gain a deeper understanding of his life before and after becoming pope.

Most years this two-week trip takes place in June. It is guided by Polish natives and John Paul II scholars.

NOW open for AUDIT STUDENTS too!

Highlights include visits to Wadowice (St. John Paul II’s birthplace), Kraków-where he studied and was ordained both priest and bishop, the home of Saint Faustina; Częstochowa, and Auschwitz.

Registration opens in Fall 2025

Click here to reach out to us!