CrucisPope St. Paul VI
Pope St. Paul VI was born Giovanni Battista Montini on 26 September 1897 at Concesio near Brescia, Italy. Ordained in 1920, he spent much of his career in the service of the Roman Curia before being appointed Archbishop of Milan, where he was known for his outreach to workers and the poor. Elected pope in 1963, he took upon himself the great task of guiding the Second Vatican Council to its conclusion in 1965 and implementing its far-reaching reforms.
His pontificate steered the Church through a turbulent era of renewal. He reformed the liturgy and the Curia, became the first modern pope to travel widely, addressing the United Nations with the plea "no more war," and fostered dialogue with other Christians and religions. In 1968 he issued the encyclical Humanae Vitae, reaffirming the Church's teaching on the transmission of life amid great controversy. He died at Castel Gandolfo on 6 August 1978 and was canonized in 2018.
Selected quotes
“The young are not only the Church of tomorrow but the Church of today; entrust them with the Gospel and they will astonish the world.”
“The joy of the Gospel cannot be silenced; the one who has truly met Christ is unable to keep the good news to himself.”
“Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he listens to teachers, it is because they are first witnesses.”