i am dr. christine leverage. welcome to mosaic. >> i am talking with the director of the arch diocesan cease. >> chris,. >> it is glad -- i am glad to be here. i am looking forward to what we will talk about today and especially pope john ii and you just returned from rome and the show is way too short for you to tell the stories. >> i did just come back from rome and we will discuss the canonization of pope john paul ii and this covers our blessed

mother and john paul ii had a special relationship with her. first, i would like to address a sad topic. we have lost a really wonderful partner at the chancery. people who have watched mosaic. and know the chancery. george passed away this past week. i wasn't in the united states. i was over in rome and the chancery was hard hit by the loss of this wonderful guy. >> absolutely. george. lifetime dedicated serving god in the church we know his struggle with cancer and it is always a shock to know that someone passed away. on the other hand, it is someone that we can say, we are really blessed for him now and received his inheritance and

the lord willing. and beautiful family and ceremony. and he lives in sonoma. and so, a lot of the people from the chancery went up to the actual either rosary and the funeral. >> george was an activist, he was a person who loved the poor. he loved the underdog. >> director of public policy. able to get in the mix of things and speak the truth about what the catholic church teaches. and dispel myths. and what faithful citizenship is. >> office of public policy works with the vatican office of peace and justice. george lived a peaceful life and for those most marginalized and they are working, one of the things that is so cutting

edge. they are holding vigils for victims of violent crimes and networking the family who have lost loved ones and they are reaching out. standing at the actual site where the person was killed. and walking on the street with the other victims in a coalition to stop violence right where it is happening. >> one of the many unsung things the department cost. they don't draw attention to it. they just do it. and reach out and show up. the priests show up. they pray. at the actual spot where the homicide has happened and most importantly, the family is contacted. and ministry is offered to the family. >> one of the things he started from the chancery is the walk of life. that walk for life now has 50,000 people coming out in the streets. >> small gathering of friends

ones a year. and especially here where speaking up for your catholic faith is not always welcome to open arms in the public square and definitely now, 50,000 plus people showing up every january starting from the civic center and standing up for life. old people, religious, married. and george was with the crew at the very beginning forming that vision and making it happen. york is a wonderful person to inspire so many things and take for granted that comes around. we wanted at the beginning of the program to mention george and wish his family. our condolences and to honor

the legacy of this wonderful man. we will be back with you in a moment. improve their grades and their communities by connecting the classroom with community service. working together, students solve real problems, build new skills and apply their knowledge in a whole new way. inside the classroom and out, service learning opens new doors and brings learning to life.

get your school involved. visit: www.learnandserve.gov to find out how. ♪ . welcome back back to "mosaic." he is the digital officer from the archdiocese of san francisco. we are doing something a little bit unusual. we are turning the tables. you will be interviewing me this morning. i returned from a trip to rome where i had attended the mass of john xxiii and john paul ii. now we call them a rather long title. st. john paul ii and john paul

xxiii. >> chris leifert and his wife attended world day in 1993. so, you have had the opportunity to be up close and personal with 500 other people. >> that's right. >> and we woke up the day of the mass in denver, colorado and long story short, my wife was quote asked by the ap and it went everywhere. >> hey, what are you doing there, any way. >> more importantly, what i want to talk about. we were two young adults taking the bus to go to candlestick park for the sermon on the mound or the papal mass with john paul the great, i like to call him. it was a beautiful experience and the way i look back on that. and this city, has still been raping the graces from the -- reaping the graces and

blessing and blessing the children and people who have aids and during the mass, when our family mass started, michael pritchard got up to do the emceeing. and the moment that happened and the holy father came through the tunnel in the pope mobile. it was as if we are family. it was not that big. >> it wasn't 70,000 people. it was simply a gathering at the local parrish. and we had the same feeling. i can't describe it really, you were there. and first of all. i want to have you speak about the providence with regard to where you were actually sitting on the 27th of may, excuse me. of april. and you know, just as we are taking this, a little over a week ago. and explain first of all your vantage point and why it was you were sitting there. >> well, i was so blessed. i arrived in rome on thursday of just last week.

a couple of days before the canonization mass and on friday i found out i was given a ticket to sing in the vatican choir. on saturday, i went inside to the choir mass. and our choir practice. and we were distributed the beautiful tickets. it felt like willy wonka. and the golden ticket to get into the factory. >> they heard you were in town and said we have to get her into the choir. >> no, i sank in the vatican choir for almost eight years while i was studying in rome and getting my doctoral degree there. this links back to john paul ii. and all of them should be open to any student that wished to attend. previously, the universities in rome were established to educate the seminarian who would become priests and many of them why started by religious orders and they would

be ordained to priesthood in rome by the holy father. john paul always changing things up. he requested in the 80s that lay people, men and women be allowed to attend the universities and i was one of the people who benefited from that. in the year. 2,002 i attended the pontification system and i was able to sing in the vatican choir and be very close to john paul ii and get to know him. he did have the capacity as you were mentioning. no matter how large the crowd was, he made you feel like you were the only person in the room because he was so relaxed with people. on sunday, the 27th. divine mercy sunday. i found myself 20 people away from pope francis singing in the choir. and there were a sea of 800,000 people were in attendance right

there in the square down to the river. >> explain though. one of the first things that happened there that you said was a historic moment and you had to pinch yourself. and i heard you. we talked on the radio before. explain to the people. >> well, the moment for me that i just could not comprehend was seeing the women, two women that had the healing. miraculous healing from john paul ii. >> come together in prayer after the ceremony and i was able to meet with both of them and speak with both of them and invite them to come to san francisco so that people could get to know them and understand the miracle that happened to them. i think i know what you are alluding to. and i want to let the audience know. >> i had an opportunity to speak to pope francis. and i invited him to come top san francisco. now, he was a bit away and he

can hear me. i wasn't sure. i couldn't believe actually that he was waving and saying yes. so i gave him a thumb's up and he gave me a thumb's up. i spoke in spanish and said come to san francisco, father. >> get ready. he is coming. >> we can only hope in our last 30 seconds here. that we can say together. we hope the holy father does come. >> you are one of many people who have come to ask him. >> st. francis. san francisco, yes. >> 800 people attended the canonization and we want to encourage our listeners to look the two saints up. they are strong successors and we will be right back after this break. ,,

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. hi, welcome. >> our subject is dealing with john paul ii. and our blessed mother. so we are talking about women in the church. with me this morning is donna moore and kathy folan. they are from the program called endow. >> share your background with us where both of you are leading a group called endow. >> we are the participants and we are not leading it. but we are happy to go and participate in the program. and it is a parrish program out of our par refresh. it is a study group for women, wives, mothers, daughters, career women. to be confirmed and around as women and to understand in a profound and deep level about

our god given dignity and to try to understand discover and unwrap the idea of the feminine genius that saint john paul ii talked about so much. >> he had documents directed for women and what endow standing for. >> educating on the dig nit of women -- dig dignity of women. >> ifs a faith group for women. >> can you tell me about the history of the group. the genesis of the group. >> i believe it started in denver, colorado by some women. and it received this there the archbishop shapu at that time in colorado and it is in about one hyundai cease in united states and australia. and new zealand. and a few other countries. >> both of you ladies attended

a local university. a program of advanced studies. and you have had a sense of faith. i am sure it under girded your faith and what would inshire you at this point to live the kind of life you live which is out reach of the evan jellization. >> it is not necessarily the normal. >> we were at the saint ignatious institute. >> it is a great program. >> it is learning the faith and history. and learning the classics. and i was catholic all my life but i really came to know jesus deeply through the program and through the study of philosophy. and most of my friends in the same program felt the same way and we had a camaraderie and i met my husband there as well.

>> so, donna, you have a a history and you received your ma in italian renaissance. >> that's correct. >> how does that calf of dovetail in with your -- how does that dovetail in your work west palm endow. >> i wrote my master thesis on the saint. saint katherine and she was in action. and she was formed by her educational program which was a class cal educational program of the. >> and she was wonderful because she was lay and she started this lay movement in time and god is always so good and sending reformers at the time when they need them and this is the counter reformation. and within. and before it ever happened. and it is also italian

renaissance and it is a secular age and very spiritual as well. her life and work. very much shows that. and she is the epitome of the of era. because the program was studied. and because of her chart retirementable work and she was a bridge from the medieval period of contemplation and seen that way to the renaissance which is a kind of action. >> today, we see examples like mother theresa. she called herself contemplative in action. >> we see ourselves in action as well. trying to be formed in a way and doing active work as mothers and giving back in that way. >> the endow study program is to form women in their vocation and to understand who we are as women. we are god's divine helper and how incredible that is. and exciting to know. >> we have to close.

and go to a break here. >> but i want all of those women and men watching right now to go to www.en dow.org to find out more about the fantastic women's program. this is "mosaic choice and we will be back after the break. ,,

. hi, and welcome back to "mosaic." >> cathy folan and donna moore. we are grateful you can be with us, ladies. we are speaking a lot today about john paul ii. the month of may according to catholic tradition dedicated to the blessed mother and john paul ii had a close relationship with our lady as well as a deep appreciation and respect for the gift of

femininity and gift of women in the church. he opened up a lot of possibilities for women to participate in ways they had not before. >> like wise as you shared. he inspired us personally. cathy, you were how old when john paul ii became pope. >> your life was formed by his pontificate. and when i was eight, i wasn't necessarily paying attention and as you grew older, did he have any kind of special significance for you or your family. >> he did. >> on my 19th birthday, i had a deeper conversion to my faith through krys and john paul ii's message was hope and be not afraid. junior year of college i found myself pregnant. i knew right away i would have this baby and probably going to give it up for adoption.

i knew i couldn't hand it to an agency and say do what you will, but i had to be the person who found the family and i wanted him to always know me. it is always unheard of in 1980 and i gave myself completely to him which is what john paul ii says to do. and this way, i found the family was miraculous. one woman, i wanted her to adopt him and she said go and find another family. and i looked and looked. at first, i didn't care what religion they were. then i realized they needed to be christian and catholic. and practicing category link and i wanted a stay at home mom h it helped form what i was going to be for the rest of my life. she became pregnant after being 13 and a half years infertile. >> she said she would look for someone else. and i called the priest friend of mine. he said he would keep his ears

peal.e.d. and i went back to the drawing board looking for a family. they each called me an hour apart with the same family that lived in maryland. >> that is incredible. >> and i had them send me letters and a picture. they just clicked. they came out. we met. very catholic and very fun. and fabulous. then, when he was born, my parents were in the room and i remember being afraid. i knew giving him up was the right thing to do. i thought i would see my parent's sorrow and that would change my mind. we were completely at peace, the holy spirit was there and my dad said do you want me to go and call the family. i said yes. >> i kept him for six days. he had a baptism and handing over and he is now a national merited scholar. eagle scout. he graduated a year early. works here in the bay area now. we see him on the weekend.

great role model for my kids and great blessing. >> so the theme you heard in your teenage years is be not afraid. that was a theme that john paul ii spoke over and over many times. he himself was alone in the world after the early death of his mother and the early death of his only sibling and then the death of his father. in fact, while he was in college studying for the priesthood. his father passed away and john paul ii at the age of 21 was alone. when he spoke those words, be not afraid he really radiated them especially to the youth. that gave you courage more than lip service to courage. your life is something. really of a witness of heroic love. i so appreciate you sharing that. we don't know who could be listening to the program this morning. it comes on pretty early and

you are either an early riser or you haven't gone to bed yet from a saturday night and here you are. so beautifully sharing what could have been a tragic story ends up turning into a life giving story. so, in the one minute that we have, can you, donna, explain to us, real quick sentence about endow and how it can fortify the catholic women today. >> for example, this month and this session we are sending john paul ii's letter he wrote to women in the late 90s. it is written in such gratitude and solidarity with women. and it is just wonderful to be together with other women and discuss the quit that god has given cuss as women. >> endow has given goals and different saint's writings.

and things like that. >> we are going to encourage or listeners to go to the website endow groups.org. and we have heard it here this morning from you two beautiful ladies, the gift of femininity in the church is respected and we need to study about this from a catholic perspective together. thank you for being with us. >> you have been watching "mosaic." until next time.

. they are chat is their checkive director. mr. steven. how are you. >> thanks, frank, we kick it off with someone great and smokey is out there. >> not