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During Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005, millions of the faithful at the Vatican chanted, “Santo subito” to express their wish that this, one of the most important and beloved pontiffs in history, would be made a saint immediately.

In the fastest process on record, that wish will be granted on Sunday, May 1st when Pope Benedict XVI presides at a ceremony to mark John Paul II’s beatification – a key step toward Catholicism’s greatest honor of sainthood. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are expected in Rome for the precedent-setting Mass, which signifies the first time in history that a pope has beatified his immediate predecessor. The choice of May 1st, the Feast of Divine Mercy, reflects Pope John Paul II’s deep devotion to his fellow Pole Sr. Faustina Kowalska and to the Divine Mercy religious observance identified with her.

Corpus Christi parish will join with Catholics around the globe in celebrating this momentous occasion with a live, big-screen broadcast inside the church at 4:00a.m. The broadcast will be immediately followed by a breakfast hosted by parishioners, and will feature kremówki (pronounced crem-Ooof-key), a cream cake favored by Pope John Paul II. There is no admission charge, but a free will offering will help to defray the cost of the breakfast. The church is located at 199 Clark St. in Buffalo. All are invited to attend.

Please note that attendance at the beatification broadcast does not relieve Catholics of their Sunday obligation. Regularly scheduled Masses will be held at 8:15a.m., 10:00a.m.(Polish) and 11:30a.m. A Divine Mercy Mass will also be held at 2:00p.m.

Additional information on Corpus Christi Church and the parish’s upcoming events may be found on the parish website at www.CorpusChristiBuffalo.org.