Former Swiss Guard to Give Divine Mercy Talk Saturday at Saint John Paul II Shrine

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A former Swiss Guard who has penned a memoir on the leadership qualities of Pope St. John Paul II will offer a reflection on the pope he served and grew to know as part of Divine Mercy Sunday at the saint's Washington, D.C. shrine on Saturday, April 11.

Andreas Widmer's keynote address at 2 p.m. at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine, will be followed by veneration of relics of St. John Paul at 3 p.m. and the Vigil Mass of Divine Mercy Sunday at 4 :15 p.m. The shrine is located at 3900 Harewood Road, NE , Washington, D.C.

His talk will address the question, "What Does it Mean to be a Disciple of St. John Paul II?"

In his 2011 book, "The Pope and the CEO," Widmer gives a behind-the-scenes view of Pope John Paul II, "the most authentically human person I ever met," and reveals how those experiences helped to forge his success as a businessman.

"In his writing, his work in the business world and as an educator, Andreas Widmer draws insights from the powerful example of leadership that he learned at the elbow of the man he served  as Swiss Guard and friend," said Patrick Kelly, director of national shrine, which is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.

Pope John Paul established the feast of Divine Mercy Sunday as part of the canonization in 2000 of St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who died in1938 after experiencing numerous revelations about the nature and breath of God's love and mercy.  The gospel reading of the day features Christ's commission to the apostles to forgive sins.

The Washington event will help mark the tenth anniversary of John Paul's death. He governed the Church for more than 26 years and died soon after assisting at the Vigil Mass of Divine Mercy on April 2, 2005.

Andreas Widmer is director of Entrepreneurship Programs at The Catholic University of America and president of The Carpenter's Fund. He was previously the co-founder of SEVEN Fund, a philanthropic organization run by entrepreneurs who invested in original research, books, and films to further enterprise solutions to poverty.

The Saint John Paul II National Shrine is recognized by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as a national place of prayer that also allows visitors to learn about John Paul's life and mission. A permanent exhibit, "A Gift of Love: The Life of Saint John Paul II," has been in place since October.

Additional information is available at www.jp2shrine.org.

SOURCE Saint John Paul II National Shrine