From the desk of the Tar Heel disciple:
October 19, 2025
Since the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7, the entire month of October is often remembered by Catholics as the month of the Rosary. In recent years, two more feasts of newly canonized popes have been added to the General Roman Calendar for this same Marian month: Pope Saint John XXIII (1881-1963) and Pope Saint John Paul II (1920-2005). In contrast to the more customary practice of choosing the date of death for the feast day of a saint, these former popes had other days selected for their liturgical commemorations. For the former, pope from 1958 to 1963, as the date of his death, June 3, was established (in 1964) as the feast of Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions (also known as the Ugandan Martyrs), October 11, the date on which John XXIII solemnly opened the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council was appointed for the celebration. And as John Paul II died on April 2, a date that would often be overshadowed by Lent, Holy Week, and/or Easter, October 22, the date of the “Inauguration Mass” celebrated at the dawn of his pontificate was selected.
The intense devotion of Pope Saint John Paul II to the Blessed Mother was exemplified in innumerable ways during his pontificate, including the motto, Totus Tuus (Latin for “totally yours”) chosen for his coat of arms. The devotion of Pope Saint John XXIII to the Blessed Virgin Mary was also deep, as seen in his decision to open the famed Council on the feast day of the Maternity of the Virgin Mary. In his opening address to the Council Fathers, he said, “Mother Church rejoices that, by a singular gift of Divine Providence, the most longed-for day has now dawned when, under the patronage of the Virgin Mother of God, whose maternal dignity is commemorated on this feast, the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council solemnly begins here at the tomb of blessed Peter.”
The feast of the Maternity of the Virgin Mary, which had only been placed on the universal calendar in 1931, in commemoration of the 15th centenary of the third Ecumenical Council, held in 431 A.D. at Ephesus, was suppressed in the liturgical changes of 1969. It was considered by some to be redundant of the newly established Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, set for January 1, the octave of Christmas. (The feast of the Maternity is still observed by those who use the Roman Missal of 1962).
For materials related to Pope Saint John XXIII, see:
https://inhisname.com/search?options%5Bprefix%5D=last&q=Pope++John+XXIII
For materials related to Pope Saint John Paul II, see:
https://inhisname.com/search?options%5Bprefix%5D=last&q=John+Paul+II
