The Diocese of Rome has issued this prayer to ask the late Pope John Paul II for his intercession:
‘O Blessed Trinity, we thank you for having graced the church with Pope John Paul II and for allowing the tenderness of your fatherly care, the glory of the cross of Christ, and the splendor of the Holy Spirit, to shine through him.
‘Trusting fully in your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession of Mary, he has given us a living image of Jesus the Good Shepherd, and has shown us that holiness is the necessary measure of ordinary Christian life and is the way of achieving eternal communion with you.
‘Grant us, by his intercession, and according to your will, the graces we implore, hoping that he will soon be numbered among your saints. Amen.’
For those of you unfamiliar with the Catholic practice of intercessory prayer, Catholics do not think of those who have passed on as dead and inert, but rather very much alive. Intercessory prayer (as opposed to worship, which is prayer reserved for the adoration of God), is almost the same as asking someone for a favor. We do it all the time on earth. Catholics simply ask those who have passed on in Heaven as well.
The reason why this is being done is specifically to find instances where miracles can be attributed to the intercession of Pope John Paul II. If one miracle is confirmed, the person is titled “blessed”. If two, then the person is confirmed a saint. So this is part of the beatification process.
Just some background information in case you were interested.