Prayer for the intercession of Pope John Paul II

from http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/being-catholic-really/2011/05/the-beatification-of-pope-john-paul-ii.html

Prayer for the intercession of Pope John Paul II

O Holy Trinity,

we thank you for having given to the Church
Pope John Paul II,
and for having made him shine with your fatherly tenderness,
the glory of the Cross of Christ and the splendor of the Spirit of love

He, trusting completely in your infinite mercy
and in the maternal intercession of Mary, has shown himself 
in the likeness of Jesus the Good Shepherd
and has pointed out to us holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You. 

Grant us, through his intercession,
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints. 
Amen.

Read more:http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/intercessionJP2.htm#ixzz1KjefNw00

According to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, beatify means to make supremely happy and to declare to have attained the blessedness of heaven and authorize the title "Blessed" and limited public religious honor.  And in the Catholic Church, beatification is one step (and miracle) closer to sainthood.

The saints are a varied bunch from all walks of life.  Each one had a "specialty."  In Bert Ghezzi's Voices of the Saints, he has an index of "themes" so you can find the saint that best fits your need.  Intercessory prayer can be a powerful tool of faith.  You might find yourself more comfortable with a particular saint then any other, but having a companion in faith can enrich your journey and make the road ahead easier to navigate.

I became a Catholic while John Paul II was pope.  At the time, I didn't understand why I was so drawn to him.  When I was preparing this article, I remembered watching him in a crowd and one of the spectators shouted out as he passed, "Papa!"

In remembering that, my eyes filled with tears because I knew why I was drawn to this man.  He reached out to me and took my hand and lead me home.