The annual meeting of the Administrative Council of the John Paul II Foundation took place on the 26^th and 27^th January, 2012. Present were all the members of the Council. The traditional meeting began at the grave of the Blessed  John Paul II. The Main Celebrant of the concelebrated Mass was Card. Stanislaw Dziwisz. Following is the full text of his homily.

In the Eternal City, on Sunday January 8^th the cycle of the meetings titled: The power and beauty of faith based on the John Paul II catechesis about Credo, was inaugurated. The John Paul II Foundation – The Centre for Research and Documentation of the Pontificate of Pope John Paul II and the chaplaincy by the St. Stanislaus B. & M. Polish Church organized the cycle.   The series of lectures and discussions constitute a preparation to the announced Year of the Faith.

Prelate Pawel Ptasznik welcomed all guests gathered in the John Paul II auditorium by the St. Stanislaus B. & M. Church (via delle Botteghe Oscure 15). He pointed out that the time after the beatification provides a great opportunity to focus more on His teachings.

Christmas wafer “Oplatek” is a symbol of reconciliation and forgiveness; it is a symbol of friendship and love. The breaking of the “Oplatek” at the beginning of the Christmas Eve express the willingness to be together, for people who are in disagreement don’t sit at the same table. It has its symbols not only in the spiritual dimensions: the “Oplatek” material – “bread” itself underlines the temporary character of the wishes. The “Oplatek” meetings provide an opportunity to jointly experience the unique atmosphere of Christmas and celebrations of the New Year.

On December 10^th, an “Oplatek” meeting was held for the John Paul II Foundation stipend recipients in Lublin. These meetings became a tradition at the Foundation’s House as they are held from the very beginning of its existence. The “Oplatek” meeting started at 4 p.m. with a Holy Mass that was celebrated by the Archbishop Stanisław Budzik. Students, Sisters from the St. Ursula congregation who are operating the female dormitory on “Poczekajce”, benefactors of the John Paul II Foundation Chapter, directors and employees of the Foundation’s House attended the meeting. After the Mass, students in the name of all participants expressed their gratitude to Archbishop Stanisław Budzik for sharing the word of God and for prayer.

On November 21^st, 2011, at the LUMSA University in Rome, an official announcement was made regarding the symposium being organized by the John Paul II Foundation (Vatican) and the International Institute of Cannon Law & Comparative Law of Religions being held in Lugano, Switzerland. The Conference: “John Paul II – great legislator of the Church: foundations, innovations and perspectives” will take place in the Faculty of Theology in Lugano, March 22-23, 2012.

During the announcement, Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko, president of the Foundation, underlined how blessed John Paul II was a great Pope who demonstrated this, in many ways and in different areas of Church life.