Saints of Our Time · Week 3 · Grades 3–5
Guided Notes: St. John Paul II
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
St. John Paul II
A boy called Lolek
Karol Wojtyła was born on May 18, blank 1, in Wadowice, Poland. His friends called him “Lolek.” He loved soccer, skiing, hiking, swimming and acting in plays.
His blank 2 also held great sadness. His mother died when he was eight, and his older brother died three years later. His father raised him and taught him to pray.
In blank 3 Nazi Germany invaded Poland and closed his college. Karol studied in secret to become a priest, which was dangerous. He was ordained on November 1, 1946.
The pope from Poland
On October 16, 1978, the cardinals chose blank 4 to be pope, the leader of the Catholic Church. He took the name John Paul II and told the world, “Be not afraid!”
He visited 129 countries and started blank 5 in 1985.
In 1981 a man shot him in Saint Peter’s Square, and he almost died. Later he visited the man in prison and forgave him.
He died on April 2, 2005. In 2014 he was blank 6, which means officially named a saint.
Words to know
Write what each word means.
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Pope | Write your answer |
| Seminary | Write your answer |
| Cardinal | Write your answer |
| Communism | Write your answer |
| World Youth Day | Write your answer |
| Canonized | Write your answer |
Quick check
Why was it dangerous for Karol to study to become a priest? Circle one.
- A The seminary was far away
- B His father did not allow it
- C The Nazis arrested priests
- D He was too young to study
Be not afraid, or giving in to fear?
John Paul II chose courage and forgiveness. Sort each choice into the bucket where it belongs. Check one box for each.
| Item | Be not afraid | Giving in to fear |
|---|---|---|
| Forgiving a friend who hurt your feelings | ||
| Laughing along when a classmate is teased | ||
| Telling an adult about a mean group chat | ||
| Sending a mean message back in a game | ||
| Praying even when friends think it is odd | ||
| Hiding the truth so you stay popular |
Quick check
What did John Paul II do after he recovered from being shot? Circle one.
- A He visited the man and forgave him
- B He stopped traveling to be safe
- C He asked for a longer punishment
- D He never spoke of that day again
Think, pair, share
John Paul II forgave a man who hurt him badly. What could forgiving someone look like in a video game or a group chat?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “Forgiving online could look like ...”“It is hard to forgive when ...”“One brave thing I could do is ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
Lord Jesus, when we are afraid, give us courage.
When someone hurts us, help us to forgive.
St. John Paul II, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
You met a pope who faced sadness, danger and pain with faith, courage and forgiveness.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
Challenge: This week, forgive one person, in person or online, and do one brave, kind thing.