John XXIII and John Paul II: Resist the Urge to Label

As we celebrate the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II, James Martin, SJ has written an article for the Wall Street Journal, "Two Very Different Saints Come Marching In."  In the article, Martin calls us to "resist the urge to see Pope John XXIII as a liberal and John Paul II as a conservative":  "Each saint was unique, called by God to be himself or herself. For holiness means being who you are—no more but (more important) no less. . . . This cookie-cutter model of sanctity belies the astounding differences among the saints. Grace builds on nature, as St. Thomas Aquinas said, and upon some very different natures." Click here to read the article.