Wit & Wisdom of John XXIII

             The man who convened the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), Pope John XXIII, apparently had quite a sense of humor in addition to his appealing simplicity, knowledge of church life and history (he was a religious historian by training), and his care and social concern for the world.


             In a recent article published by the Catholic News Service (CNS), it was pointed out that John, an Italian of peasant stock -- named Angelo Roncalli -- who became Pope during 1958, was known for his cheerful disposition, quick-wit humor, and tongue-in-cheek quips.

        http://www.catholicnews.com/  --  http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1401197.htm

             John XXIII's operational philosophy at the Vatican reportedly was "See everything, overlook a lot, and correct a little.'

             He is credited with the following:
1. Visiting a hospital he asked a boy what he wanted to be when he grew up. The boy said either a policeman or a pope. "I would go in for the police if I were you," the Holy Father said. "Anyone can become a pope, look at me!"

2. "It often happens that I wake up at night and begin to think about the serious problems afflicting the world and I tell myself, I must talk to the pope about it. Then the next day when I wake up I remember that I am the pope."

3. In reply to a reporter who asked, "How many people work in the Vatican?", he reportedly said: "About half of them."

4. When a cardinal complained that a rise in Vatican salaries meant a particular usher earned as much as the cardinal, the pope remarked: "That usher has 10 children; I hope the cardinal doesn't."

5. When he went to visit a friend at the nearby Hospital of the Holy Spirit in the evening, the nun answering the door said: "Holy Father, I'm the mother superior of the Holy Spirit." He replied: "Lucky you! What a job! I'm just the 'servant of the servants of God.'"

6. Not long after he was elected pope, Blessed John was walking in the streets of Rome. A woman passed him and said to her friend, "My God, he's so fat!" Overhearing what she said, he turned around and replied, "Madame, I trust you understand that the papal conclave is not exactly a beauty contest."

7. He once wrote: "There are three ways to face ruin: women, gambling and farming. My father chose the most boring one."

8. When he was cardinal and patriarch of Venice, the future pope was talking with a wealthy city resident, "You and I have one thing in common: money. You have a lot and I have nothing at all. The difference is I don't care about it."

9. When a journalist asked the then-patriarch of Venice what he would be if he could live his life all over again, the future pope said, "Journalist." Then he said with a smile, "Now let us see if you have the courage to tell me that, if you could do it all over again, you'd be the patriarch!"

10. A Vatican official told the pope it would be "absolutely impossible" to open the Second Vatican Council by 1963.

"Fine, we'll open it in 1962!" he answered. And he did!

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