The same date is the feast of St Francis of Paola, a fifteenth-century Italian hermit who founded the Minims, an order whose name means “the least.” He ate no meat, wore rough clothes, and lived to ninety-one. The French king Louis XI begged him to come and heal him; Francis went, didn’t heal him, but helped him die at peace.
Historical Context
Francis of Paola’s motto was a single word: Caritas, charity. It’s a good word to carry through this day.
An April 2 Prayer
Lord, on this day we remember St Francis of Paola,
who made himself least so he could love the most,
and St John Paul II, who taught the world not to be afraid.
Give me some of their humility and their courage.
Make my life about charity.
And when my time comes, let me go to the house of the Father in peace.
Amen.
A Prayer to St John Paul II
St John Paul II, you suffered in public and kept your faith.
Pray for the sick and the elderly,
for young people searching for meaning,
and for families everywhere.
Amen.
For Autistic People and Their Families
Lord, on this day, bless autistic people and those who love them.
Let them be understood, welcomed and valued.
Amen.
Best Times for This Prayer
- On the morning of 2 April.
- At 9:37pm Rome time, the hour John Paul II died.
- For anyone facing the end of life.
Scripture Connection
“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” — John 14:2
John Paul II’s last words echo this promise. For a Christian, death is going home to the Father’s house.
Related prayers
For the month, see the April Prayer Guide. For autism, the Autism Prayer. For the day before, the April 1 Prayer.