Saints that influenced Saint Pope John Paul II
Long before he became pope, Karol Wojtyła was a young man trying to remain faithful amid war, loss, and uncertainty. Prayer sustained him, but he did not walk alone. The lives and writings of the saints helped him recognize God’s call and gave him examples of what it means to follow Christ without holding anything back.
Saint Louis de Montfort shaped his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary; the words Totus Tuus—“Totally Yours”—became the motto of his papacy. Saint John of the Cross deepened his understanding of prayer and the soul’s journey toward union with God. In Saint Albert Chmielowski, he found a powerful witness to mercy expressed through service to the poor. Later, as pope, he brought Saint Faustina Kowalska’s message of Divine Mercy to the attention of the whole Church.
These saints did more than inspire Saint Pope John Paul II from afar. Their witness helped form a shepherd who urged the world to open its doors to Christ. As we get to know them, we can ask for their intercession in our own lives—and discover anew how God works through the Communion of Saints to draw us closer to Jesus.
The Saints Who Shaped Saint John Paul II’s Spiritual Life
Saint Pope John Paul II often reminded the Church that holiness is possible in every state of life. His own spiritual journey was shaped in part by saints who taught him how to trust Mary, remain faithful in suffering, serve the poor, and rely on God’s mercy.
Saint Louis de Montfort: Entrusting Himself to Mary
As a young man, Karol Wojtyła read Saint Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary. Its teaching on consecration to Jesus through Mary became a lasting part of his spiritual life. His papal motto, Totus Tuus—“Totally Yours”—expressed that Marian devotion.
For Saint John Paul II, turning to Our Lady never meant turning away from Christ. Mary leads her children to her Son. His example invites us to ask for her help in giving ourselves more fully to Jesus.
Saint John of the Cross: Finding God in Trials
During the hardships of the Second World War, Wojtyła encountered the writings of Saint John of the Cross through his spiritual mentor, Jan Tyranowski. He later wrote his doctoral dissertation on faith in the works of the Carmelite saint.
Saint John of the Cross taught that spiritual darkness need not mean God has abandoned us. Faith calls us to trust Him even when consolation is absent—a lesson Saint John Paul II carried into a life marked by suffering and steadfast hope.
Saint Albert Chmielowski: Seeing Christ in the Poor
Saint Albert Chmielowski gave up a promising career as an artist to care for people living in poverty. His witness deeply moved Wojtyła, who wrote a play about him titled Our God’s Brother.
Brother Albert’s life showed that love of Christ must become love for the person in front of us. Prayer and service belong together: the same Jesus we adore in the Eucharist calls us to recognize His dignity in those who are hungry, lonely, or forgotten.
Saint Faustina Kowalska: Trusting in Divine Mercy
Saint Faustina’s message of Divine Mercy held a special place in Saint John Paul II’s heart. He canonized her in 2000 and established Divine Mercy Sunday for the universal Church, directing the faithful toward the merciful Heart of Jesus.
The prayer associated with this devotion—“Jesus, I trust in You”—offers a simple way to follow their example. We can bring our sins to Confession, receive Christ in the Eucharist, and extend to others the mercy we have received.
 |
The Blessed Virgin Mary and His “Totus Tuus” Devotion
When Karol Wojtyła was nine, his mother died. Years later, as Saint Pope John Paul II, he would speak of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the trust of a son. That devotion became one of the defining threads of his life and papacy.
As a young man, Wojtyła read True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort. At first, he wondered whether such strong devotion to Mary might draw attention away from Jesus. Instead, he came to understand its purpose more deeply: Mary always leads her children to her Son.
He chose “Totus Tuus”—“Totally Yours”—as his papal motto, expressing his desire to entrust himself to Jesus through Mary. This was no private devotion kept apart from his ministry. He encouraged the faithful to pray the Rosary, contemplate Christ’s life with Mary, and bring their needs to her with confidence.
After surviving an assassination attempt on May 13, 1981, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, John Paul II credited Mary’s maternal intercession. His example invites us to place our own joys, fears, and hopes in her care—and to follow wherever she directs us: toward Jesus.
Saint Louis de Montfort and Total Consecration to Mary
As a young man in occupied Poland, Karol Wojtyła wrestled with a question many Catholics have asked: Could devotion to Mary draw attention away from Jesus? Reading True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin by Saint Louis de Montfort helped him see the opposite. Mary’s mission is to lead souls to her Son.
De Montfort taught that consecration to Mary is a way of giving oneself more completely to Jesus. This spirituality left a lasting mark on the future Saint Pope John Paul II. He chose Totus Tuus—“totally yours”—as his episcopal and papal motto, expressing his desire to belong wholly to Christ through Mary.
For those drawn to this path, de Montfort’s writings offer a place to begin. Read them slowly, bring any questions to prayer, and ask Our Lady to help you follow Jesus more faithfully in the ordinary duties of each day.
Saint Faustina Kowalska and the Message of Divine Mercy
Saint Faustina Kowalska died in 1938, when Karol Wojtyła was still a young man in Poland. Yet her witness would become closely linked to his life’s work. Through the revelations she recorded in her Diary, this humble religious sister urged the world to trust in Jesus and receive the mercy flowing from His Sacred Heart.
As Archbishop of Kraków, Wojtyła supported the study of Faustina’s life and writings. As pope, he returned again and again to the truth at the heart of her message: God’s mercy is not reserved for those who have never fallen. It is offered to sinners who turn back to Him. In 1980, Saint Pope John Paul II explored this mystery in his encyclical Dives in Misericordia (Rich in Mercy). He canonized Faustina in 2000 and established Divine Mercy Sunday for the whole Church.
Faustina’s influence was not merely a matter of words or dates on a calendar. Her message points us toward a response: go to Confession, receive the Eucharist with a trusting heart, and show mercy to others. The Divine Mercy Chaplet and the simple prayer “Jesus, I trust in You” can help carry that response into ordinary life—especially when guilt, suffering, or fear makes trust difficult.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe and Sacrificial Love
In 1941, at Auschwitz, Saint Maximilian Kolbe volunteered to take the place of a fellow prisoner condemned to die. His choice was the fruit of a life spent offering himself to Christ through the Blessed Virgin Mary. For Saint Pope John Paul II, who had lived through the Nazi occupation of Poland, Kolbe’s witness showed that even in a place built to strip people of their dignity, love could remain free.
When John Paul II canonized Kolbe in 1982, he honored him as a martyr of charity. Kolbe’s sacrifice made visible the words of Jesus: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). His deep devotion to the Immaculate Virgin also resonated with the pope’s lifelong love for Our Lady.
Most of us will never face Kolbe’s choice. We can, however, practice sacrificial love in the duties before us: caring for someone who is suffering, forgiving an injury, or giving our time when it would be easier to turn away. Through Kolbe’s intercession, we can ask for the courage to see Christ in the person who needs us.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and the Little Way
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux lived a hidden life as a Carmelite nun, yet her witness reached far beyond the convent. Her “Little Way” teaches that holiness is found not only in extraordinary deeds, but also in ordinary acts performed with great love: a patient response, a quiet sacrifice, a prayer offered for someone in need.
Saint Pope John Paul II recognized the depth of her teaching. In 1997, he declared Thérèse a Doctor of the Church, drawing attention to the wisdom of her trust in God’s mercy. She reminds us that we do not have to make ourselves worthy of Jesus before approaching Him. We can come to Him with the confidence of children who know they are loved.
Thérèse is also a patron saint of the missions, though she never left her convent. Through prayer and self-offering, she shared in the Church’s work of bringing souls to Christ. Her example invites us to do the same: pray for missionaries, offer small daily sacrifices, and let our love for Jesus shape the way we treat the people closest to us.
Saint John of the Cross and the Mystery of Suffering
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, young Karol Wojtyła worked, prayed, and studied for the priesthood in secret. Amid the danger and grief of those years, a lay mentor named Jan Tyranowski introduced him to the writings of Saint John of the Cross. The Carmelite mystic’s teaching on the “dark night” gave Wojtyła a way to understand a difficult truth: even when God feels distant, He has not abandoned the soul that seeks Him.
Saint John of the Cross did not teach that pain is good in itself. He wrote of a soul learning to trust God beyond familiar consolations, holding fast to Him in faith when prayer feels dry or the path ahead is unclear. Wojtyła studied his work so deeply that he later wrote his doctoral dissertation on faith in the writings of Saint John of the Cross.
As pope, Saint Pope John Paul II spoke often of suffering in the light of Christ’s Cross. In Salvifici Doloris, he taught that those who suffer can unite their trials to Jesus, who suffered out of love for the world. This does not mean facing hardship alone or refusing help. It is an invitation to bring pain honestly to the Lord—and to recognize Christ in those who need our care.
Saint Teresa of Ávila and the Interior Life
Saint Teresa of Ávila taught that prayer is not a task to finish but a friendship to deepen. In The Interior Castle, she pictured the soul as a dwelling place where God invites us ever closer to Himself. That invitation requires quiet, perseverance, and a willingness to be changed.
Saint Pope John Paul II drew attention to Teresa’s witness when he visited Ávila in 1982, the four-hundredth anniversary of her death. Her life showed that contemplation does not draw Christians away from the needs of the Church. Teresa’s deep prayer gave her the courage to reform the Carmelite order, guide others, and remain faithful through hardship.
John Paul II likewise called the Church to become a “school of prayer.” Teresa helps us see what that call looks like in daily life: setting aside time for the Lord, speaking to Him honestly, and listening even when prayer feels dry. Her example encourages us to bring our whole lives before Jesus, who waits for us in the Eucharist and meets us in the quiet of the heart.
Saint Thomas Aquinas and Catholic Thought
Centuries before Saint Pope John Paul II urged the Church to speak confidently to the modern world, Saint Thomas Aquinas showed that faith and reason need not be rivals. The Dominican theologian drew on philosophy to explain Catholic teaching while remaining rooted in Scripture, prayer, and the worship of God.
That approach mattered to John Paul II. In his encyclical Fides et Ratio, he praised Aquinas for recognizing that truth, wherever it is found, can serve a deeper understanding of the faith. For a pope speaking to a world often tempted to separate belief from reason, Aquinas offered a powerful example: careful thought can lead us not away from Christ, but toward Him.
John Paul II did not treat Catholic thought as an exercise reserved for scholars. He wanted believers to seek truth with both humility and courage. Aquinas reminds us to bring our questions before God, study what the Church teaches, and allow what we learn to shape how we live.
For families, catechists, and anyone growing in faith, that can begin simply: read a passage of the Catechism, reflect on a question it raises, and ask the Holy Spirit for the wisdom to understand and follow the truth.
Saint Augustine and the Search for Truth
Long before he became a bishop and Doctor of the Church, Saint Augustine was a restless seeker. In his Confessions, he tells of pursuing answers in places that could not satisfy him, until God’s grace led him to conversion. His story speaks to anyone who longs for truth but is unsure where to look.
Saint Pope John Paul II held Augustine up as a guide for that search. In his encyclical Fides et Ratio, John Paul II drew on Augustine’s witness to show that faith and reason need not compete. The desire to understand can lead us toward God, while faith helps us see more clearly the truth we seek.
Augustine’s journey is also an invitation to prayer. If a question about God, the Church, or your own life weighs on your heart, bring it honestly before the Lord. Read a passage from the Confessions, spend time with Jesus in the Eucharist, and ask for the grace to follow the truth wherever He leads.
Walking with the Saints Who Guided Saint Pope John Paul II
Saint Pope John Paul II did not walk the path to holiness alone. As a young man, he found in St. John of the Cross a guide to prayer and trust amid suffering. From St. Louis de Montfort, he learned a profound devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, expressed in his papal motto, Totus Tuus—“Totally Yours.” St. Faustina Kowalska’s message of Divine Mercy became central to his call for the world to turn with confidence to Christ.
These saints helped shape a pope who urged us, “Do not be afraid.” Their influence reminds us that the Communion of Saints is not a distant chapter of Church history. The saints are companions who point us toward Jesus, encourage us to persevere, and teach us how to love.
As you reflect on the life of Saint Pope John Paul II, consider choosing one of these saints as a companion in prayer. Read their words, ask for their intercession, and bring their example into your home. At Journeys of Faith Catholic Store, we offer books and devotional resources to help you grow closer to the saints—and, through them, to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.
Let the Saints Help You Take the Next Step
Saint Pope John Paul II did not speak of holiness as a distant ideal. He learned from the saints, prayed with the Church, and urged ordinary people to open their lives to Christ. Their example can shape your daily life, too.
- Entrust yourself to Mary. Inspired by St. Louis de Montfort, John Paul II placed his life in Our Lady’s care. Begin with a simple daily prayer asking her to lead you closer to Jesus.
- Trust in Divine Mercy. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet and reflect on the message entrusted to St. Faustina Kowalska: no heart is beyond the reach of Christ’s mercy.
- Serve with love. St. Brother Albert Chmielowski showed John Paul II the beauty of seeing Christ in those in need. Choose one concrete act of charity this week.
- Stay close to the Eucharist. Bring these intentions to Mass or Eucharistic adoration, where Jesus strengthens us to live what the saints teach.
At Journeys of Faith Catholic Store, you’ll find carefully chosen books and devotional resources to help you learn about the saints, deepen your prayer, and share the faith with your family. Explore our Catholic Saints collection and take one small step toward holiness today.
Shop Devotionals Inspired by Saint John Paul II and the Saints Who Guided Him
Walk with the saints who helped shape Saint Pope John Paul II’s faith. Explore books and prayer resources to deepen your devotion to Mary, grow in trust in Divine Mercy, and draw closer to Jesus through daily prayer.
- The Rosary of Saint John Paul II — Make time to contemplate the life of Christ with Our Lady.
- True Devotion to Mary — Leather Bound Marian Classic — Explore Saint Louis de Montfort’s teaching on belonging more fully to Jesus through Mary.
- Saint John of the Cross Book — Learn about the Carmelite saint whose spirituality deeply influenced the future pope.
- Divine Mercy in My Soul: Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska — Reflect on the message of mercy that Saint John Paul II shared with the world.
- Saint Faustina Laminated Prayer Card — Keep a reminder of Saint Faustina’s witness close at hand during your daily prayer.
- Saint Maximilian Kolbe Minibook — Discover a powerful example of Marian devotion and sacrificial love.
Choose a resource for your own spiritual journey or share a meaningful gift with someone you love. May these holy companions encourage you to pray, serve others, and stay close to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.
FAQs About the Saints Who Influenced Saint Pope John Paul II
Who were the main saints that influenced Saint Pope John Paul II?
Several saints helped shape Saint Pope John Paul II’s prayer and witness. Saint Louis de Montfort deepened his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, expressed in his papal motto, Totus Tuus (“Totally Yours”). Saint John of the Cross influenced his understanding of the spiritual life. He also drew inspiration from Polish saints, including Saint Stanislaus of Krakow, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, and Saint Faustina Kowalska, whose message of Divine Mercy he shared with the world.
How did Saint John Paul II’s Polish heritage connect him to specific saints?
John Paul II grew up in a Poland where Catholic faith and national history were closely intertwined. As Archbishop of Krakow, he served the city associated with Saint Stanislaus, a bishop and martyr long honored by Polish Catholics. He also witnessed the Church recognize modern Polish saints, including Maximilian Kolbe and Faustina Kowalska. Their lives gave him examples of faith amid suffering and of God’s mercy reaching beyond Poland.
What was the impact of Saint Stanislaus of Krakow on John Paul II?
Saint Stanislaus stood for John Paul II as a witness to a bishop’s duty to remain faithful to Christ, even at great cost. During his ministry in Krakow, John Paul II often recalled the saint’s martyrdom and its enduring place in Polish Catholic life. Stanislaus’s example encouraged steadfast faith and the courage to speak for the dignity of the human person.
How did Saint Maximilian Kolbe’s martyrdom shape John Paul II’s views?
At Auschwitz, Saint Maximilian Kolbe volunteered to die in place of another prisoner. John Paul II canonized him in 1982 and called him a “martyr of charity.” Kolbe’s sacrifice offered a powerful witness to a truth John Paul II proclaimed throughout his pontificate: even in the face of hatred and violence, love can defend human dignity.
