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Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Dear Friends and Supporters of the Pope Saint John Paul II Institute,
May the Blessing of Christ and the maternal protection of our Lady of Poland be with you. I’m writing this on the feast of our Lady’s Birthday, September 8, 2025 to prepare for our Annual Impact Report as we continue through this Jubilee year. I hope it is filled with grace and progress in the Lord for you and your loved ones.
I am hearing reports from many sources and from within my own family of a Generation Z revival. The very young, always eager for adventure, and longing for meaning are coming to Christ in stunning and even miraculous ways often on their own, even from secular families. They are dedicating their lives to Him and making it known on campuses, in their families and on various social media outlets. In the Jubilee 2000 on the Family John Paul II told us:
“Children represent the springtime, something that flourishes, something new. They are heralds of a promise: the renewal of the world in and through the family. Our children, the springtime of the family and society, are always a sign of hope for the world and for the Church.”[1]
I am always amazed to hear the stories of young people who come to study the thought of John Paul II in our master’s degree program. Though he has been gone from this world most of their lives they hear his words, they are inspired by his life and they want to deepen their knowledge of his impact. Their imaginations are set ablaze by the inspiration of his character.
We recently graduated 9 persons from our program some with certificates and some with master’s degrees. Several of these joined me on the trip to Poland this summer as their final “hurrah” in the program. We were truly inspired as our visiting professor Fr. Witold Kania led us on a two-week pilgrimage through Poland and the sites important to John Paul II and Poland with numerous shrines of miraculous images of our Lady such as Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, and Piekary Śląskie, a Marian sanctuary in Silesia. We stayed just a couple of blocks from the Shrine of Divine Mercy where Saint Faustina lived and died as well as the nearby Museum/Shrine of John Paul II.
About 10 new students have joined our program over the last year with a few waiting to join us in January.
We continue to host non-credit online courses on themes important to John Paul II and Polish History and Culture. Look for annoucements for these enrichment classes and please tell your friends and family about our programs. We are looking to grow the reach of the John Paul II Institute in the U.S. and beyond as we grow and forge relationships and partnerships with other institutions.
Giving Day 2025 saw the John Paul II Institute come in 3rd place thanks to the generosity of you and a 10,000 gift from Dr. Larry Barton, a student in the program. The only categories to out give our little institute were the general scholarship fund for UST and President Richard Ludwick and friends group. We are humbled and amazed at your generosity! Thank You!
Please plan to join us for the Feast Day Mass of St. John Paul II at 5:30pm and our annual reception at 6:30pm at the Link Lee Mansion on October 22, 2025.
Also, plan to join us for Wigilia in December – It was a big hit last year.
Your prayers and financial support are essential to the success and mission of the John Paul II Institute.
Please consider including us in your gifts, offerings and will so that we can be here for many years to come. You may contact us directly or Kiernan O’Connor in development.
john.corrigan@stthom.edu director
emilia.piechota@stthom.edu administrative assistant
kiernan.oconnor@stthom.edu development
[1] https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/family/documents/rc_pc_family_doc_20010329_jub-fam-conclusion_en.html
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