Pope John Paul II as Patron Saint for Nudists
Return to DiscussionsI've been promoting the idea of having St. Pope John Paul II as the patron saint of nudists. I've contacted AANR about this but they didn't want to go down this road. In researching patron saints I found that there are no formal investiture ceremonies indicated. It is usually the laity who adopt a Saint as their patron and if the movement is great enough, the Church formally accepts the designation. Below are some of John Paul's writing on the subject. Write back if you agree on this and perhaps we can get a movement underway. I believe that this will also add to the credibility of the nudist life style.
Pope John Paul II on Nudism
Drawing from his own pastoral experience as a priest and bishop before he became Pope John Paul II, Karol Wojtyla has produced a remarkably eloquent and resourceful book Love and Responsibility.
The following is an article written by an unknown author using Love and Responsibility as its source material.
Sexual modesty cannot then in any simple way be identified with the use of clothing, nor shamelessness with the absence of clothing and total or partial nakedness. There are circumstances in which nakedness is not immodest nakedness as such is not to be equated with physical shamelessness. Immodesty is present only when nakedness plays a negative role with regard to the value of the person, when its aim is to arouse concupiscence, as a result of which the person is put in the position of an object of enjoyment. The human body is not in itself shameful, nor for the same reasons are sensual reactions, and human sensuality in general. Shamelessness (just like shame and modesty) is a function of the interior of a person. There is a certain relativism in the definition of what is shameless. This relativism may be due to differences in the makeup of particular persons-a greater or lesser sensual excitability, a higher or lower level of moral culture-or to different world views. It may equally be due to differences in external conditions-in climate, for instanceand also in prevailing customs, social habits, etc. Dress is always a social question, a function ofsocial customs. In this matter there is no exact similarity in the behavior of particular people, even if they live in the same age and the same society. The principle of what is truly immodest is simple and obvious, but its application in specific cases depends upon the individual, the milieu, the society. There are circumstances in which nakedness is not immodest. If someone takes advantage of such an occasion to treat the person as an object of enjoyment (even if his action is purely internal) it is only he who is guilty of shamelessness not the other.
-- Pope John Paul II, Love and Responsibility, trans. H.T. Willetts (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1981), pp. 176-192.
Below are the actual quoted materials with page numbers where they can be found. This is to verify that the context of each quote above is how the author of the book intended.
Sexual modesty cannot then in any simple way be identified with the use of clothing, nor shamelessness with the absence of clothing and total or partial nakedness. Page 176.
There is a certain relativism in the definition of what is shameless. This relativism may be due to differences in the makeup of particular persons- a greater or lesser sensual excitability, a higher or lower level of moral culture- or to different world views. It may equally be due to differences in external conditions- in climate, for instance,and also in prevailing customs, social habits, etc. Page 186.
In this matter there is no exact similarity in the behavior of particular people, even if they live in the same age and the same society. Page 189.
The principle [of what is modest or immodest in dress] is simple and obvious, but its application in specific cases depends upon the individual, the milieu, the society.
{Bracketed, bold line has been inserted to explain context.} Page 190-1
Dress is always a social question, a function of (healthy or unhealthy) social customs.
{Items in parenthesis are the actual quotes from the book.} Page 190-2
There are circumstances in which nakedness is not immodest. If someone takes advantage of such an occasion to treat the person as an object of enjoyment (even if his action is purely internal) it is only he who is guilty of shamelessness (immodesty of feeling), not the other.
{Items in parenthesis are the actual quotes from the book.} Page 190-3
Nakedness as such is not to be equated with physical shamelessness. Immodesty is present only when nakedness plays a negative role with regard to the value of the person, when its aim is to arouse concupiscence, as a result of which the person is put in the position of an object of enjoyment. Page 190-4
The human body is not in itself shameful, nor for the same reasons are sensual reactions, and human sensuality in general. Shamelessness (just like shame and modesty) is a function of the interior of a person.
{Items in parenthesis are the actual quotes from the book.} Page 191
As a part of my campaign to have Saint John Paul II as the patron of nudists, I was thinking of having buttons made up for people to wear. The buttons would have the image of John Paul II and around the edge it would say "St. John Paul II Patron Saint of Nudists. " When people see this button they may be moved to ask questions about nudism or ask questions about our patron. I want to use the word "Nudists" so there will be no question about who he is the patron of. I believe Naturist will only confuse the issue so I don't want to use that.
How do you feel about this? I'd like to gather some input before charging ahead with this, so please respond? Thanks for your help.
DesertRat
How do you feel about this?You apparently missed it.www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=6996Lots of material there so I haven't read it in detail.There was no question that JPII had been named a Saint. The proposal is that he be considered the patron Saint of nudism/naturism. From the inset box he is considered the patron or co-patron of World Youth Day. Naturism might be buried in there elsewhere, so I could still be missing it.
John Paul II has not been officially designated as Patron Saint of Nudists/Nudism. My proposal is that we nudists adopt John Paul II as our Patron Saint. In other words he will be the Patron Saint of Nudists. This man helped bring down the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall so we should look to him to help bring down the walls against nudism. His writings show that he made a moral distinction between nudism and sexual exploration. I read one of his books and have heard that another one of his books also mentions nudism in a favorable light.
It's interesting for us Catholics to look for a patron saint for nudists, but I wonder if the late Pope John Paul II really qualifies for this position based solely on the fact that he has voiced his opinion on nudity and sexual morality? Just because someone expresses their views on a subject or issue, does not necessarily mean they are championing the cause.
I would surmise that since Pope John Paul II , long before he joined the priesthood, was involved in theatre and was an actor of sorts, would have learned that an actor's mind and body are trained to lose their inhibitions and become an expression of the characters they are playing. As such then, nudity is a very natural part of life and not confused with sexuality. However, nowhere have I seen any report or indication that the late Pontiff might have appeared nude in public or enjoyed being clothes free within the privacy of his rooms in the Apostolic Palace.
A more appropriate candidate for the Patron Saint of Nudists might be St. Peter. There are references in several Bibles which which authenticate that, being a fisherman, he worked naked.
New American Standard Bible
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea.
King James Bible
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And that disciple for whom Yeshua had great affection said to Kaypha, This is Our Lord. But Shimeon, when he heard that he was Our Lord, he took his tunic, girding his loins because he was naked, and he threw himself into the sea to come to Yeshua.
Alternately one might even consider St. John the Baptist who is believed to have lived in the desert naked or clothed with a coat made of camel hair and girded at the waist by animal skin. Several celebrated artists New American Standard Bible
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea.
King James Bible
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
Alternately St. John the Baptist may also be considered, as it is believed he lived in the desert naked or just clothed in a tunic made of camel hair and girded at the waist with animal skin, living on locusts and wild honey. Several celebrated artists portray him as being naked in the desert.
I agree that he should be the patron saint for nudist or naturists as his book love and responsibility and the theology of the body do refer to the fact that being nude with others or in mixed company is not a sin as long as you have no lust in your heart for the other participants. Mere nudity is acceptable without lust...
You could also look at Sts. Onuphrius, Peter of Athos, Macarius of Egypt, and Paul the Hermit. All four of them were called to live naked and alone as a way of rejecting worldly desires. Also, St. Cyril of Jerusalem gave an account of the way he baptized people into the Church in 4th century AD (taken from Lecture XX, "on the Mysteries II", paragraph 2): "As soon, then, as you entered, you put off your tunic; and this was an image of putting off the old man with his deeds. (Colossians 3:9) Having stripped yourselves, you were naked; in this also imitating Christ, who was stripped naked on the Cross, and by His nakedness put off from Himself the principalities and powers, and openly triumphed over them on the tree. For since the adverse powers made their lair in your members, you may no longer wear that old garment; I do not at all mean this visible one, but the old man, which waxes corrupt in the lusts of deceit. (Ephesians 4:22) May the soul which has once put him off, never again put him on, but say with the Spouse of Christ in the Song of Songs, I have put off my garment, how shall I put it on (Song of Songs 5:3)? O wondrous thing! You were naked in the sight of all, and were not ashamed; for truly ye bore the likeness of the first-formed Adam, who was naked in the garden, and was not ashamed."
The idea is to wear these pins or badges while clothed. We want to raise the notion to non-nudists that nudism is not a moral evil and may be something very desirable. We want to plant the seed in people's minds that; If JP II thought it was acceptable, maybe it's right for me.