Catholic Saints – St. John Paul II (Augustine Institute)

Episode Date: October 22, 2025
Host: Tim Gray
Guest: Douglas Bushman, Professor of Theology, Augustine Institute

Episode Overview

This episode is a deep exploration of the life, teachings, and continuing impact of St. John Paul II, with particular focus on his concept of the "New Evangelization" and his dedication to implementing the Second Vatican Council. Host Tim Gray and his guest, theologian Douglas Bushman, reflect on how John Paul II shaped the identity and mission of Catholics for the 21st century through his profound theology of love, ardor, and gift, and how he continues to serve as a beacon of hope, unity, and fidelity amidst challenges facing the Church.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. St. John Paul II and the New Evangelization

• Early Vision: From his first papal visit to Poland, John Paul II spoke of a "new evangelization," a call that evolved throughout his pontificate.
• Definition and Development:
  • Initially centered on reaching "lapsed Catholics" — those baptized but living as if God doesn’t exist ([01:22]).
  • Expanded in his 1999 apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America to characterize the entire life and mission of the Church ([01:52]).
• Identity as Missionaries:
  • The core identity of all Christians, according to John Paul II, is as “missionary disciples” ([02:44]).
  • “It's a way of being, doing business, if I can put it that way.” — Douglas Bushman ([01:52])

2. The Spirituality of Communion and Holiness

• Building from Baptism:

  • Mission arises from the spirituality of communion (communio/koinonia) and from the call to holiness ([03:25]).
  • The universal call to holiness from Vatican II underpins John Paul II’s vision ([05:53]).

• Living Witness:

  • The new evangelization is described as “Christian life on display”—living so Christ-centered that others are drawn to inquire about faith ([06:34]).
  • “People will notice that you’re driving to Mass every Sunday... your family life will have a dynamic that’s different.” — Douglas Bushman ([06:34])

• Not Everyone Is Called to the Same Role:

  • Some start institutes or produce media, others are missionaries, but all Christians are part of this mission through holiness.

3. The Role of Ardor and Apostolic Boldness

• Ardor Modeled by John Paul II:

  • The new evangelization calls for “new ardor”—energy and boldness in faith, modeled by John Paul II ([07:47]).
  • Drawing from Acts of the Apostles, Bushman highlights “parrhesia,” the apostles’ boldness, as John Paul’s example ([08:01]).

• Love as the Source:

  • This mission flows naturally from being loved by Christ and loving others in turn ([08:01]).

4. Theology of Love and the Dynamic of Gift

• God as Love, Life as Gift:

  • John Paul II’s theology centered on the inner life of the Trinity as mutual self-giving, which inspires human love and mission ([09:44]).
  • Recognition that Christians are called to make a gift of themselves to others, mirroring the Trinity ([10:22]).

• The Holy Spirit as Gift:

  • John Paul II’s encyclical on the Holy Spirit emphasized the Spirit as the “person-gift,” a profound reflection often underappreciated ([11:47]).
  • “He taught so much because he loved so much.” — Tim Gray ([11:47])

5. Humility and Implementation of Vatican II

• John Paul II's Dedication:
  • His entire pontificate aimed to interpret and implement Vatican II faithfully, seeing it as a gift of the Holy Spirit for our age ([13:10], [16:53]).
  • He demonstrated self-effacing humility, subordinating his papal authority to the direction Vatican II provided ([13:10]).
  • “My agenda is that of the Holy Spirit. Let's read and live this great gift of the Holy Spirit to the church of our time.” — Douglas Bushman ([13:10])

6. Contemporary Controversies Around Vatican II

• Faithful Catholics in Doubt:

  • The hosts acknowledge that some faithful Catholics now question Vatican II, while originally critiques came from those wishing to “modernize” the Church ([16:53]).
  • The risk is in validating extreme interpretations and losing continuity with the tradition ([16:53]).

• The Right Disposition Toward Church Gifts:

  • Bushman counsels listeners to approach Vatican II with trust and an openness to its gifts, not with suspicion ([19:18]).
  • Memorable analogy: Opening a letter from Uncle Jeff (Bezos) with happy anticipation, as we should receive gifts from the Church, not with the dread one greets a tax bill ([19:18]).

• Witness of Unity and Suffering:

  • One of the most important contemporary witnesses is unity; grumbling and division grieve the Holy Spirit ([23:50]).
  • The answer to difficulties in the Church mirrors Christ’s response: to suffer with hope and love, deepening Eucharistic devotion and devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows ([23:50]).

7. Reclaiming Hope in Troubled Times

• Faith and Hope Under Test:

  • Bushman discusses how the rapid secularization and cultural changes challenge hope and lead to misplaced blame on Vatican II ([24:36]).
  • Pointed out the reality of vibrant dioceses and parishes flourishing due to faithful implementation of Vatican II ([24:36]).
  • Cautions against the temptation to focus only on negatives, noting both light and darkness are present in the life of the Church ([24:36]).

• The Importance of Faith in Christ’s Promises:

  • Grumbling against the leadership of the Church is scripturally seen as a lack of faith ([24:36]).
  • The sign of true hope is trusting in Christ’s promises to be with His Church.

8. Agents of Springtime, Not Prophets of Winter

• Emulating John Paul II’s Hope:
  • Tim Gray highlights John Paul II’s ability to look toward a “new springtime” in the Church even after a period of “winter” ([28:29]).
  • Encourages listeners to be “agents of the springtime rather than prophets of the winter,” filled with supernatural hope and magnanimity ([28:29]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the meaning of new evangelization:
  “The new evangelization is focused on… baptized Catholics who live as if God doesn’t even exist.”
  — Douglas Bushman ([01:22])

• On Christian identity:
  “The identity of a Christian is to be a missionary disciple.”
  — Tim Gray ([02:44])

• On mission and witness:
  “The new evangelization is simply Christian life on display.”
  — Douglas Bushman ([06:34])

• On ardor:
  “He [John Paul II] modeled this idea of ardor… that typified the early church in the new circumstances in which the Church finds herself today.”
  — Douglas Bushman ([08:01])

• On love and the Trinity:
  “By God’s grace, now we participate in the life of the Trinity. And so our whole life is relationships, making a gift of ourselves to others and … receiving the gift that others make of themselves to us.”
  — Douglas Bushman ([10:22])

• On Vatican II as a gift:
  “My agenda is that of the Holy Spirit. Let’s read and live this great gift of the Holy Spirit to the church of our time.”
  — Douglas Bushman ([13:10])

• On division and hope:
  “There’s a lot of grumbling going on in the church, and Holy Scripture has a lot to say. That kind of grumbling is taken by God as a lack of faith.”
  — Douglas Bushman ([24:36])

• On choosing hope over negativity:
  “Spring follows what season? Winter. But [John Paul II] didn’t go around saying it’s winter, it’s winter. He talked about the spring, and how can we be agents of the spring?”
  — Tim Gray ([28:29])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:22 - 02:44: Introduction & Early Concept of New Evangelization
• 03:25 - 06:34: Spirituality of Communion, Holiness, Mission
• 07:47 - 09:15: Ardor, Apostolic Boldness, and Love
• 09:44 - 13:10: Theology of Love and Gift; The Holy Spirit
• 13:10 - 16:53: Implementation & Reception of Vatican II
• 16:53 - 19:18: Questioning Vatican II: Then and Now
• 19:18 - 23:50: Hermeneutic of Suspicion & Analogy of Receiving Gifts
• 23:50 - 24:36: Witness of Unity & the Role of Suffering
• 24:36 - 28:29: Reassuring Faithful Catholics on Vatican II & the Signs of the Times
• 28:29 - end: Hope, Focus on Good News, Agents of Spring

Conclusion

Tim Gray and Douglas Bushman present an inspiring portrait of St. John Paul II, not only as a “gift to the 21st century,” but as a model of ardor, hope, and faithfulness to tradition. The episode reassures listeners facing confusion or negativity regarding the Church’s direction, urging them to rediscover the light, unity, and hope that St. John Paul II called forth. The discussion encourages Catholics to embrace their mission in the spirit of the new evangelization and to live as agents of spiritual springtime.