The Fresh Air of Pope Saint John XXIII

He opened the Church’s windows and let the Spirit move again—faith breathing fresh air after years of silence.

Before Pope John XXIII came along, the Church felt… sealed. Like a room that hadn’t been opened for years. The air was heavy with old rules, Latin prayers only few could follow, and a sense of distance between the altar and the people. Faith was sacred, yes—but sometimes too serious, too far from everyday life.

Then came Angelo Roncalli, a simple man with a big heart and an even bigger smile. When he became pope in 1958, people thought he’d just keep things calm. Instead, he opened the windows—literally and spiritually. He said it was time to “let in some fresh air.”

That fresh air became the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), and suddenly, things began to move.

Mass was finally spoken in languages people could understand—so prayers sounded like home again. Priests faced the people, not the wall. The Church began talking to the world instead of talking about it. Love became the language, not fear. And holiness didn’t stay in the hands of priests—it was shared with everyone.

The Church started to breathe again.

It became warmer, simpler, more alive. That “fresh air” wasn’t rebellion—it was renewal. A reminder that faith isn’t supposed to be locked inside a museum. It’s meant to live, to move, to grow with time.

U Need Fresh Air • Darem Placer
Without Without includes U Need Fresh Air

Listen on Apple Music and Apple Music Classical

⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ

World Teachers’ Day—October 5

Behind every confident step we take is someone who once said, “You can.” This day is for those quiet voices.

Some people build houses. Some build bridges. Teachers? They build people.

Every October 5, the world looks back to say thanks—not with fancy words, but with the quiet truth that we wouldn’t be here without them. Since 1994, UNESCO has set this day aside to remind everyone that the most powerful tools ever made weren’t machines—they were minds, shaped by teachers who cared enough to stay late, explain again, and believe one more time.

This year’s theme, “Empowering Teachers, Building Sustainable Societies,” isn’t just a slogan. It’s a call. If we want a world that lasts, we start with those who teach us how to think, feel, and stand.

So let’s do more than post a quote. Let’s make sure teachers have what they need—because without them, the world stops learning how to be human.

ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ