Sister Thomas Bernard MacConnell of the Spirituality Center at Mount St. Mary’s College tucks a note into a replica of Jerusalem’s Western Wall, which is part of an exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles that highlights Pope John Paul II’s relationship with Jews. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
John Paul II was the first pope to formally recognize Israel and make an official trip to the Jewish state. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The exhibit, “A Blessing to One Another,” pays tribute to his youth, when he befriended and helped Jews in pre-World War II Poland. The compassion he had for outsiders as a boy shaped his legacy as head of the Roman Catholic Church. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
On display are shoes of Holocaust victims. The pope’s hometown was not far from the Auschwitz concentration camp. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Catholic and Jewish leaders view the exhibit, which runs through Jan. 4. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
