Angelo Roncalli Informative Speech

We are gathered in communion today to celebrate the life and eternal memory of one of the greatest popes of our time. We gather today not only to grieve the loss of the good pope and light of the church but to also praise the work Angelo Roncalli has accomplished throughout his life. I am honored and touched to share the memory of a wonderful life and an unforgettable man with you all today. Through the grief, we can remember John XXIII through his contributions to the growing and changing church today. For those of you who do not know me personally, I am Sr. Emma, a prior student of his and also part of his staff as pope. I was invited by John along with a few of my fellow sisters of Bergamo to work as his housekeeping staff during his reign
Though I may have been one of his many students, I was always welcomed like family. Through his classes he taught, lectures he delivered, and mass he said daily, “Roncalli was always in demand”(Treece 31). There was never a dull moment around the “outstanding priest”(Treece 31). I always remember coming to class and seeing the smiling face of Roncalli in the front of the room. He had a gift for remembering and interpreting theology and a bubbling motivation to teach as much information as he could in a single lecture. I remember speaking with him about how he managed his busy schedule, and although he was worn to the breaking point at times, he responded by “putting on a brave face to be a light to those around him” (Treece 34). And a light he truly was. Angelo always believed it “was better to be merry than melancholy”(Treece 18). It was difficult to be sad around Roncalli with his bright smile that lit the corridors. I remember walking the halls of the school and always seeing Professor Roncalli talking with someone about anything he could start a conversation with. Was there ever a time he didn’t speak his
Sometimes, Angelo took part in heated debates with fellow professors and even students to deepen his understanding of church dogmas and doctrines. He often questioned the church and its participation with the clergy. He strived to learn as many perspectives as possible to make sure he understood all sides of the story. Roncalli’s bubbling personality was always active around the church and seminary corridors.
Throughout his life, it was predicted that Roncalli was destined to do outstanding things, and their assumptions were correct. I remember Roncalli telling me that as a young child, his family called “the sweet-tempered child a little priest” (Treece 1). Everyone around him predicted great things from this tiny leader. His sweet spirit and draw toward his vocation lead him toward a life of service to Christ. His leadership in the church was always for Christ and his vocation. I remember Roncalli telling me about his time served in World War I risking his life in a sickroom. I wondered why he turned down government recognition for his work, and he told me that “nothing he had done was for the