Pope St. Paul VI

Giovanni Baptista Montini was the son of a prominent newspaper editor. Ordained in Brescia, Italy on May 29, 1920, he continue his studies in Rome, Italy, and became part of the Vatican secretariat of state in 1922, one of two pro-secretaries to Pope Pius XII. He was the archbishop of Milan from 1954 to 1963 where he worked on social problems and to improve relations between workers and employers.  He was created cardinal-priest of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti on December 15, 1958. He was elected 262^nd Pope in 1963.

As Pope, Paul continued the reforms Pope St. John XXIII. He re-convened the Second Vatican Council, and supervised implementations of many of its reforms, such as the vernacularization and reform of the liturgy. He instituted an international synod of bishops; bishops were instructed to set up councils of priests in their own dioceses.  Powers of dispensation devolved from the Roman Curia onto the bishops, rules on fasting and abstinence were relaxed, and some restrictions on inter-marriage were lifted. A commission to revise Canon Law was established.

He was the first Pope in over 150 years to leave Italy. He made many trips throughout his pontificate, addressing the United Nations and governmental bodies. He enlarged the college of cardinals and added cardinals from third world countries.

He died of natural causes on August 6, 1978 and was beatified by Pope Francis on October 19, 2014. He will be canonized in late October in 2018. His feast is August 6.