POPE JOHN PAUL II by George E. Stanley

Author:George E. Stanley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ALADDIN PAPERBACKS
Published: 2003-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

FATHER AND SON

After Karol’s mother died, he and his father began spending more time together. Karol soon realized how little he really knew about his father or his father’s side of the family. At night, after he had finished his homework and after they had eaten, Karol would often ask his father to talk about himself instead of the heroes of Poland.

“You’re a hero to me, Papa,” Karol said.

His father blushed, something Karol had never seen him do before. “You honor me with that remark, Karol,” he said. “I appreciate it more than you’ll ever know.” He leaned back in his chair, and his eyes found the portrait on the wall that showed him and Karol’s mother on their wedding day. He stared at it for a moment, then he closed his eyes.

At first, Karol thought his father had gone to sleep, for he sometimes dozed in his chair after supper, awaking in time to ask Karol if he had finished his homework before he went into the bedroom and closed the door, but this time he began to tell Karol things he had never heard before.

“Our roots are here in Galicia, Karol. The Wojtylas have always lived in this province, but for centuries we were only peasants, tied to the land. Slowly, the Wojtyla men began to learn trades, and my father became a tailor. Of course I was expected to become a tailor too, and I worked long hours in my father’s shop learning how to make clothes.”

“You learned well, Papa,” Karol said. “I know what I wore to school today used to be an army uniform, but it doesn’t look like one now.”

“Yes, it’s a skill that I’ve certainly been able to use over the years, Karol,” his father said, “but I just didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in our little village doing that, so I joined the army.”

“Did it make you happy?” Karol asked.

His father took a deep breath and let it out before he answered. “I quickly discovered that I didn’t particularly love military life for itself, Karol, but I did need the order, the discipline, and the dignity it gave me.”

To Karol, what his father was telling him was a revelation. Karol had often wondered why some things—his love of order and discipline—mattered more to him than did other things, and in his father’s remarks he had discovered the answer.

“I spent my entire military career first in Krakó w, then in Wadowice, Karol, and so I was able to surround myself with the things that weren’t available in our little village,” his father continued. “Good books, music, theater, athletic events.” He suddenly opened his eyes and smiled at Karol. “I also made enough money that I could ask your mother to marry me, and that is probably the most important reason why I know I made the right decision.”

“Would you tell me about—” Karol started to ask, but his father interrupted him.

“Not now. I have a surprise for you.” His father stood up and went to the bookshelf.

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