Born in northern Italy in 1897, his Baptismal name was Giovanni Battista Montini. 

His father was a lawyer and both of his parents were very involved in an organization called Catholic Action whose mission, as described by Pope Pius XI, was the participation of the laity in the Apostolate of the hierarchy. 

Although he suffered from ill health fairly often, he excelled in his studies, grew in his faith, and in 1916 entered the seminary. 

By 1920, he was an ordained priest with a doctorate in canon law. 

Fr. Montini was then sent to several universities for more study and by the time he was twenty-five he was appointed as Papal Secretary of State. The accelerated journey meant he never served as a parish priest. 

In 1954 he was named Bishop of Milan and quickly went to work to reach a community that had become cool in its faith. 

In a two-week period in 1957 he had more than 500 priests, bishops, and lay people deliver over seven thousand sermons to the people of Milan in locations that ranged from Churches and factories to public squares. 

In 1958 he became a Cardinal and was deeply involved in Vatican II. 

After the death of Pope John XXIII, he was elected Pope and chose the name Paul. 

He reconvened and guided to the conclusion of Vatican II and in 1968, wrote the last of his seven encyclicals: Humanae Vitae. 

He died in 1978 and was canonized in 2018. 

St. Pope Paul VI, please pray for us.