Who was Blessed John XXIII?
Blessed John XXIII was born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in 1881. He was ordained in 1904 and served as secretary to the bishop of Bergamo from 1904 -1914. He served in World War I in the medical corps, and as a chaplain. He was made an archbishop in 1925, was created cardinal on January 12, 1953, and patriarch of Venice on January 15, 1953. On October 28, 1958 he elected 261st pope. On 25 January 1959, he announced his intent to call a council to consider ways to renew the Church in the modern world and convened the Second Vatican Council on 11 October 1962. He died on June 3,1963 at Rome, Italy and was beatified on September 3, 2000 by Pope John Paul II. North American Martyrs Parish, Colebrook Saint Albert Parish, West Stewartstown, and Saint Brendan Parish, Colebrook will merge to become one new parish, creating North American Martyrs Parish. Both churches will remain open and retain their original names. For example, there will be Saint Albert Church in North American Martyrs Parish.
