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John XXIII Facts & Worksheets

One of the most well-known popes of all time, Saint John XXIII, began a new chapter in the history of the Roman Catholic Church with his openness to change (aggiornamento), which was most evident when he called for the Second Vatican Council in 1959.

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One of the most well-known popes of all time, Saint John XXIII, began a new chapter in the history of the Roman Catholic Church with his openness to change (aggiornamento), which was most evident when he called for the Second Vatican Council in 1959. Pacem in Terris is among the several significant encyclicals he wrote for society.

See the fact file below for more information about John XXIII, or you can download our 25-page John XXIII worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

  • Full name: Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli
  • Motto: Obedientia et Pax (Obedience and Peace)
  • Born: November 25, 1881, in Sotto il Monte, Italy
  • Died: June 3, 1963 in Rome
  • Papacy: October 28, 1958–June 3, 1963
  • Beatified: September 3, 2000
  • Canonized: April 27, 2014
  • Feast Day: October 11

EARLY LIFE AND CAREER

  • Giovanni Roncalli, a tenant farmer in Sotto il Monte, a small village located 7 miles (11 km) from the Lombard city of Bergamo, was the father of 13 children, including Angelo. The Roncalli family lived in poverty, although not quite as poorly as some stories from later times would have them. 
  • The eldest son and third child, Angelo, left the family when he was eleven years old to train for the priesthood, but he never stopped going on family holidays and stayed close to them all of his life.
  • Roncalli was not a particularly good student. But in 1900, he performed well enough to be sent to Rome for theology study. His studies were cut short after just a year at the Seminario Romano when he was conscripted into the army and sent to an infantry company conveniently based in Bergamo. He eventually joined the army again as a priest during World War I, serving once more in Bergamo as a hospital orderly and then as a lieutenant military chaplain.
  • Back in Bergamo, Don Angelo was appointed to the faculty of the diocesan seminary in addition to his secretarial responsibilities. He was a theology lecturer and spiritual mentor to young men preparing for ordination for the following nine years. His position as the bishop’s right-hand man afforded him extensive pastoral expertise.
  • Roncalli was called to a higher role in the church after the war. Recalling the biographer of Radini-Tedeschi, Pope Benedict appointed him as a director of the Italian organization for the support of foreign missions in 1920. The post was not very noteworthy in a church presided over by many dignitaries, but it allowed him to interact personally with several influential clerical individuals around Europe and made his name known inecclesiastical Rome. Roncalli first met Monsignor Achille Ratti, the Milanese librarian who would later become Pope Pius XI, while conducting research for a project.

VATICAN DIPLOMAT

  • Later, Pius XI welcomed the Bergamo priest into the diplomatic service of the Vatican after recalling his talent for interpersonal interactions. In March 1925, Roncalli was appointed the apostolic visitor to Bulgaria. 
  • He served as an archbishop, an obscure but sensitive position for the next ten years, with the expectation that he would defend the rights of a small Roman Catholic community in a mainly Eastern Orthodox nation. Nevertheless, he was not thought to be one of the most qualified priests in the papal diplomatic service.
  • Roncalli’s subsequent task held no promise either. In addition to being named head of the Vatican diplomatic mission to Turkey, he was also an apostolic delegate to Greece. Once more, he was asked to speak on behalf of the helpless Catholic minorities in the Eastern Orthodox country of Greece and the Muslim country of Turkey. He settled in Istanbul, where he was well received as a friendly host and dinner companion in the diplomatic colony, although he was mostly disregarded by the Vatican and the Turkish government.
  • At the time, the French post was rather sensitive. During the German occupation, Roncalli’s predecessor, Monsignor Valerio Valeri, had a close relationship with the collaborationist General Philippe Pétain. De Gaulle made it clear to the Vatican that Valeri had to be replaced right away because he had become persona non grata to the French people. It was explained to Roncalli that he would be expected to calm things down, restore the church’s autonomy, and secure the release of many German seminarians who were prisoners of war. 

THE PAPACY

  • Pius XII passed away on October 9, 1958, and Roncalli was elected pope on the twelfth ballot. Despite his age (71 years old), he was evidently a compromise choice who could be supported by all parties.
  • He declared rather casually shortly after his coronation that he was calling the first universal assembly of church bishops in nearly a century, known as an ecumenical council. He claimed to have had an epiphany about the idea. His goal was to work for the spiritual renewal of the church and to “bring it up to date” (aggiornaménto).
  • Because they believed Pius XII had led the church to prosperity and saw no justification for the reforms John had in mind, the pope’s conservative Curia met his decision with cold disdain. In reality, several of the cardinals at the Vatican did everything they could to push back the council until after the older man had quietly retired from the public eye. Still, the pope persisted in his goal and lived to chair the Second Vatican Council’s opening session in the autumn of 1962.
  • John considered himself a mediator. He stressed the importance of the church as a supra-political spiritual force in the world. But more than any of his official declarations, his warmth of personality was the foundation for his ultimate claim to the affection of the world. Despite the Baroque context in which he found himself, he stayed straightforward and unaffected and immediately appealed to universal human ideals.
  • The improbable pope, who never conquered his propensity for corpulence and was low in stature, eventually assumed the role of a global father figure. It was widely acknowledged when he passed away in 1963 that he had grown to be one of the most beloved persons in history.

LEGACY

  • When the Sacred College of Cardinals appointed Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli as a papa di passaggio in October 1958, they had no reason to believe that his pontificate would be anything but the decorous, tradition-bound, static pontificate that they had anticipated from him in his prior life.
  • Born into a peasant family, he had no significant ties when he started his career in the church and no influential patron to help him navigate the complex world of ecclesiastical politics. Above all, his continuous ascent was due to his willingness to suppress his own desires, obey commands, and obediently conform to the wishes of those in higher authority. His life was shaped by the clerical ideal found at his seminary in Bergamo.
  • Paul VI, his successor, started the official process that would result in John’s sainthood. If the antiquated practice of popular canonization had persisted in 1963, the grieving assembly in St. Peter’s Square would have undoubtedly bestowed that honor upon him right upon hearing of his passing. Pope John Paul II beatified him in 2000, and the two were canonized on the same day in 2014.
  • John XXIII is honored in the opening titles of Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1964 film The Gospel According to St. Matthew.
  • Three Catholic schools bear the name of John XXIII: Pope John Senior High School and Junior Seminary in Koforidua, Ghana; John XXIII Catholic Learning Community, a primary school in Sydney; and John XXIII College (Perth), a Catholic college in Western Australia. 
  • Pope Francis used John XXIII’s encyclical Pacem in Terris as a “code of conduct” for fostering harmony between Catholics and adherents of other religions at a gathering in Bulgaria on May 6, 2019.
  • He is honored with an honorary residence hall at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, called Angelo Roncalli Hall.

John XXIII Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about John XXIII across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about John XXIII. Saint John XXIII began a new chapter in the history of the Roman Catholic Church with his openness to change (aggiornamento), which was most evident when he called for the Second Vatican Council in 1959. Pacem in Terris is among the several significant encyclicals he wrote for society.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. John XXIII Facts
  2. Fill in the Pope
  3. Pope a Question!
  4. According to John XXIII
  5. John XXIII at a Glance
  6. Miracle of 1966
  7. St. John XXIII, Pray for us!.
  8. Pope’s Firsts
  9. Journey to the Papacy
  10. A Tale of Two Popes
  11. The Wisdom of John XXIII

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was John XXIII?

John XXIII, born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, was the 261st pope of the Roman Catholic Church, serving from 1958 until his death in 1963. He is best known for convening the Second Vatican Council, which aimed to modernize the Catholic Church and promote Christian unity.

What were some significant accomplishments of John XXIII during his papacy?

John XXIII’s papacy is marked by several significant accomplishments. He initiated the Second Vatican Council, a major ecumenical council that introduced reforms to modernize the Catholic Church, including changes to liturgy, promoting interfaith dialogue, and updating the Church’s approach to social issues. He also worked to improve relations with other Christian denominations and with non-Christian religions.

How did John XXIII contribute to peace efforts during his time as pope?

John XXIII was a staunch advocate for peace. He issued the encyclical “Pacem in Terris” (Peace on Earth) in 1963, which called for peace, disarmament, and respect for human rights. He also engaged in diplomatic efforts to ease tensions during the Cold War and played a crucial role in defusing the Cuban Missile Crisis by encouraging dialogue between the United States and the Soviet Union.

What was John XXIII’s background before becoming pope?

Before becoming pope, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli served as a priest, bishop, and papal diplomat. He was known for his humility, compassion, and diplomatic skills. He held various diplomatic posts, including serving as apostolic delegate to Turkey and Greece, where he worked to save Jews during the Holocaust. He was also appointed as the Patriarch of Venice before being elected pope.

What is John XXIII’s legacy in the Catholic Church?

John XXIII’s legacy in the Catholic Church is profound. He is remembered as a reformer who sought to bring the Church closer to the modern world while staying true to its core principles. His efforts to promote dialogue, peace, and social justice continue to inspire Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He was canonized as a saint in 2014 by Pope Francis, recognizing his holiness and his significant contributions to the Church and the world.

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