Born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in 1881 to a farming family in Sotto il Monte, Italy, he served as a papal diplomat in Bulgaria, Turkey, and France, where he helped protect Jewish refugees during World War II. Elected pope in 1958 at age 76, he surprised the world by convening the Second Vatican Council, which opened on October 11, 1962. Known as 'Good Pope John' for his warmth and humility, he died in 1963 and was canonized in 2014.
John XXIII shows that gentleness and openness of heart can change the world more than power or severity. He trusted the Holy Spirit enough to open the windows of the Church and let in fresh air, and he treated every person — of any faith — with fatherly kindness. His motto of seeing 'what unites rather than what divides' is an example of peacemaking we can practice in our own families.
Saint John XXIII, good and gentle shepherd, teach us to trust God with cheerful hearts and to seek what unites us in love. Amen.