Today we celebrate the feast of Saint John XXIII, the “Good Pope”. Through the docility to the Spirit that distinguished the entire life of John XXIII, he could be the good soil in which concord, hope, unity and peace would germinate for the good of all of humanity. Pope John pointed to faith in Christ and belonging to the Church, Mother and Teacher, as a guarantee of a fruitful Christian witness in the world. Thus, in the strong contrasts of his time, the Pope was a man and pastor of peace who was able to open in the East and in the West unexpected horizons of brotherhood between Christians and of dialogue with all. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council was a truly a special gift, offered to the Church by John XXIII, who decided, prepared and inaugurated it.

—Pope John said in his Encyclical “Pacem in terries”: the believer «must be a glowing point of light in the world, a nucleus of love, a leaven of the whole mass. He will be so in proportion to his degree of spiritual union with God». This was the great Pontiff's life program.