Bishop

Wojtyla learned of his appointment as auxiliary bishop of Krakow on a summer camping trip with young friends in 1958. He hurried to Cardinal Wyszynski’s residence to accept and afterward sought out the convent of the Grey Ursuline Sisters where he spent the next eight hours in prayer. Then, ever the pastor, he returned to the campsite.

Only six years later he would be appointed archbishop of Krakow and three years after that, named a cardinal.

Despite his marked lack of interest in politics, it was his concern for human rights, the family and the worker that quickly propelled him into confrontation with the Communist government on three matters: youth ministry, the construction of new churches and Corpus Christi processions, which he used to promote Church teaching on human rights. Best known is Wojtyla’s success with Nowa Huta, once the atheistic regime’s dream city, which he instead called "a city of the children of God" (Man of the Millennium, page 22).

Well traveled primarily throughout Europe and North America, he gained insight from his many contacts, making both himself and the situation of the Church in Poland increasingly understood.