Remembering Pope John Paul II:
Well Done Good and Faithful Servant, Come Share Your Master's
Joy

Pope John Paul II, leader of more than 1 billion Catholics and spiritual
catalyst to the world, died April 2 at 9:37 PM in his Vatican apartment. His fragile health further declined over the last few months, including two recent hospital stays. On Thursday, March 31, his already weak system suffered a series of medical setbacks, including heart and circulatory collapse. He was 84-years-old.

John Paul II's papacy of 26 years is the third longest and perhaps the most momentous in church history. His many accomplishments are extraordinary. He redefines the papacy by bringing the papacy to the people. He is the most-traveled pope in history. He is a master communicator-the first pope to connect with his flock and spread the God News via personal visits, bestselling books, TV cameras, and the Internet. His moral and spiritual stature inspires the world. His lasting message to the world is one of courage, faith, and prayer in action. Pope John Paul II is the Good Shepherd who tirelessly seeks to bring the world closer to God. His life and suffering are filled with courage and faith. He exhibits these same spiritual qualities in facing death. He is a pastor to the world, reminding us that our true destiny is eternal life.

Throughout his life, including those years of declining health, Pope John
Paul II gives witness to the dignity and sanctity of life, including
conception and death, including moments of joy and happiness and moments of suffering and pain. The compassion that the pope demonstrates to the world has a boomerang effect. The world expresses that same sense of compassion as the weakened pope hovered near death. This giant of a man exudes faith and hope, peace and justice, and warmth and reconciliation. He opposes tyranny and oppression, he reaches out to the Third World, he embraces the suffering, and he strives for church unity. He is the world's spokesperson for protecting every aspect of life from conception to infirmity. His papacy echoes a profound gospel message: We are called to serve one another to feed
the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome strangers, cloth the naked, care for the sick, and visit those in prison.

The pope's exceptionable and charismatic rapport with your people endured from his days as a young priest until his final days on his deathbed. Dr. Navarro-Valls, the pope's chief spokesman, told reporters that just hours before the pope slipped in and out of consciousness he haltingly whispered, "I have looked for you. Now you have come to me. And I thank you." Pope John Paul II was truly a Good Shepherd to his last breath. The world in general-young and old, rich and poor, powerful and weak, Catholic and non-Catholic-prayerfully join in Final Commendation, "Lord, grant John Paul II eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon him."

Karol Joseph Wojtyla: Boy to Man

Karol Joseph Wojtyla was born on May 18, 1920, at Wadowice, an industrial town about 30 miles southwest of Krakow, Poland. When he was just a small boy, Karol's mother died, and he became very close to his father.

At age seven, Karol began attending the local primary school, and at age eleven he went to the state high school. There he was an outstanding student and athlete. He enjoyed soccer, swimming, and canoeing, and later took up skiing and mountain climbing. He also loved poetry and had considerable interest and ability in acting.

When he was eighteen, Karol and his father moved to Krakow where he entered the university to study Polish language and literature. When the Germans occupied Poland in September of 1938, the university was forced to close, but an underground network of studies continued.

In the winter of 1940, Karol went to work as a laborer in a limestone quarry at Zakrowek, outside of Krakow. The following year, he was sent to the water-purification department of the Solway factory in Borek Falecki.

Karol Wojtyla: Priest to Cardinal

It wasn't until 1942, after the death of his father, that Karol felt called to the priesthood. He then began studying theology in secret. However, after the liberation of Poland by the Russian forces in January 1945, he was able to openly attend Jagiellonian University once again.

Karol Wojtyla graduated with distinction in theology from the university in August 1946. The following November 1, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Adam Sapieha, the archbishop of Krakow. Cardinal Sapieha then sent Father Wojtyla to the Pontifical University in Rome to study, and he received his doctorate in June 1948. A few years later, after serving as a parish priest from 1948 to 1951, he again returned to Jagiellonian University to study philosophy. In addition, from 1952 to 1958 he also lectured on social ethics at Krakow seminary, and in 1956 was appointed professor of ethics at Lublin, becoming acknowledged as one of Poland's foremost ethical thinkers.
On July 4, 1958, Pope Pius XII named Father Karol Joseph Wojtyla an auxiliary bishop to the see of Krakow. Five years later, on December 30, 1963, Pope Paul VI named him archbishop of Krakow. In that role, he proved himself to be a politically astute and formidable adversary of the repressive communist government.

It was at the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) that Archbishop Wojtyla became a prominent figure internationally. He was a member of the Preparatory Commission and attended all four sessions of the Council. During that time, he was an influential speaker in the debate on religious freedom, asserting that the Church must allow others the liberty of thought, action, and speech that she claimed for herself. After the Council, he was instrumental in implementing its decisions, in Rome as well as Poland.

Subsequently, on June 26, 1967, he was named a cardinal of the Church. During the 1960s and 1970s he was becoming a familiar figure on the world stage, repeatedly visiting North America. He even attended the Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia in 1976. Also during this period, he participated in a struggle with the political regime in Poland to secure a kind of tolerable legal status for the Church there.

Karol Wojtyla: Pope John Paul II

Cardinal Wojtyla then, was a well-known and widely respected personality when the cardinals met in October of 1978 to elect a new pope. Unable to reach a consensus for any Italian candidate, the cardinals began to consider other possibilities. Finally, apparently on the eighth ballot, Karol Joseph Wojtyla was elected by an overwhelming majority, 103 out of 109 votes. Three things are particularly noteworthy about the election of John Paul II:

• He was the first non-Italian pope in 456 years.
  
• He was elected as the 262nd pope in Church history.
  
• He was elected at the relatively young age of fifty-eight.

As with Pope John Paul I, there was no coronation, and the inauguration of his ministry as "universal pastor of the Church" took place in St. Peter's Square on October 21, 1978.

The story of Pope John Paul II is a story of great faith and courage. Serving over one billion Roman Catholics worldwide, he was the longest serving pope of the 20th century. Pope John Paul II always spoke out against materialism and a society where many people have forgotten God. He gave the world a vision of what it means to walk in the path of the living God.

A man of boundless determination, spiritual wisdom, and moral courage, Pope John Paul II started each day early in the morning in his private chapel with private prayer. Then, he would celebrate Mass. Once he was asked, "Why do you get up so early?" The pope simply replied, "I like to watch the sun rise."

Even as a young priest, John Paul II was always keenly interested in and very popular with young people. As Pope, he continued his ministry to young people through youth rallies that drew large and enthusiastic crowds everywhere. Throughout the world, young people somehow felt a special connection to the Pope. He brought an important message to the youth of the world. Again and again, Pope John Paul II encouraged young people:

• to affirm life in the face of so many negative messages,
  
• to give their energy and ideals to the Church,
  
• to grow in the gifts of service and compassion.

The large crowds the Pope encountered during his extensive travels delighted in his spontaneity and humor. During his visit to Miami, Florida, he spoke about the "beauty of this land of the sun." At that moment, a loud clap of thunder punctuated the dreary sky. The Pope then added, "the sun must also mean rain."

The Pope also reached people in other ways. His trips usually allowed for face-to-face greetings, despite the immense crowds. The Pope frequently would spend more time greeting the assembled people before and after his talk than he would spend giving the talk. The Pope skillfully spoke and read eight languages. In addition, he frequently would visit with professors of theology, philosophy, science, sociology, politics, and culture to exchange ideas and share lunch.

In frail health during later years, Pope John Paul II suffered considerable pain during his papacy. On May 13, 1981, while riding in the jeep nicknamed "the Popemobile," Pope John Paul II was shot and seriously wounded by a Turkish man, Mehmet Ali Agca. His wound required major surgery and his convalescence lasted until October of that year. Subsequently, he publicly forgave his attacker, prompting people all over the world to newly examine the imperative to forgiveness.

While John Paul II always showed tremendous devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, his devotion was even more intense after the 1981 assassination attempt on his life. The assassination attempt took place on the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Having recovered, he went to Fatima one year later. There, he placed the assassin's bullet on the altar at Fatima in thanksgiving for God's protection. He deeply believed that it was a sign from God that his life had been spared.

In 1989, Pope John Paul II was instrumental in bringing about the collapse of world communism and the end of the Cold War. He had always believed that truth is what sets people free and that God is the source of all truth.

Then, during the 1990s, he faced additional physical challenges:

• In 1992 he had a benign tumor removed.
  
• In 1993 he injured his shoulder.
  
• In 1994 he broke his thighbone.

Throughout the world, Pope John Paul II is considered one of the towering figures of the 20th century. In 1994, Time magazine selected Pope John Paul II as the man of the year.

From the very beginning of his papacy, John Paul II looked ahead to the year 2000. He told the world, "Do not be afraid to open wide the doors for Christ." He was particularly interested in marking the yearlong celebration of the Church's Jubilee Year, the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Christ. Everything about his papacy proclaimed that the Church's destiny extends from one millennium to the next.

John Paul II: A Pope for a New Millennium

There is no doubt that in 1978 a great man was chosen to lead the Church. From the beginning of his pontificate and even through his deteriorating health, Pope John Paul II looked forward to leading the Church into a new century and celebrating the Church's Jubilee Year.

The Pope dramatically accented the early months of Jubilee Year 2000 by traveling to Egypt and to the Holy Land, marking his 90th and 91st international trips. On March 12, 2000, at a solemn penance service, Pope John Paul II asked for forgiveness of sins committed by the Church over the past 2,000 years. These events profile a remarkable pope who reached out to the world to seek reconciliation among all people and all faiths. By the close of the Jubilee Year, his hopes and expectations for Jubilee 2000 were more than realized. More than 30 million people came to Rome during the Holy Year, and his act of closing the Holy Door to St. Peter's Basilica when Jubilee 2000 ended drew wide applause.

On January 21, 2001, John Paul II appointed thirty-seven new cardinals in the Church. These new cardinals came from five continents, with three of them from the United States. Since becoming pope in 1978, John Paul has named a total of 154 cardinals. The College of Cardinals has never been larger and more representative of the far-reaching corners of the Church that now consists of one billion Catholics. There is no doubt that the Holy Father's legacy will live on in many ways and is certain to touch many future generations.

Even though the final years of John Paul II's papacy were marked with health problems and physical disabilities, he continued to work for world peace and justice. In January 2002, he called 50 religious leaders to a peace pilgrimage in Assisi. The purpose of the pilgrimage was to host an ecumenical prayer service to ask God for the gift of peace. With true vision, the Pope recognized that terrorism puts the entire world at risk.

In April 2002, the Pope called the American cardinals to Rome to deal with the sex abuse crisis in the U.S. In that summit meeting, Pope John Paul II deplored scandalous behavior by some priests and urged the bishops to be more vigilant in investigating and correcting the sex abuse crisis. The Pope's leadership was very apparent and provided a sense of urgency for strong national standards. He also assured the world that American Catholics have the spiritual resources to overcome the clergy abuse crisis.

Perhaps one of the strongest hallmarks of John Paul II's papacy was his spirit of reconciliation. At the start of the new millennium he issued a sweeping apology for the errors of the Catholic Church--going back to early Church history. In May 2002, he made a five-day tour of Azerbaijan and Bulgaria.

While visiting Azerbaijan, which is an overwhelmingly Muslim country, he pleaded for an end to violence in the name of God. As was true of all of his many pastoral trips around the world, he was an ambassador for peace. Interestingly, he also insisted that as long as he has breath, he will proclaim to the world, "Enough of wars."

The Pope then continued his tour to Bulgaria. There, as was true of his entire papacy, he was eager to build bridges and to mend relations with the Eastern Orthodox Church. His ecumenical overtures were obvious as he prayed for the full unity of all Christians.

The Legacy of John Paul II

Pope John Paul II was the most recognized person in the world. From the time of his election on October 16, 1978, Pope John Paul II traveled to over 110 countries. His many trips, his extensive writings, his very presence spoke to the heart of all people. No previous pope has ever traveled so extensively. No previous pope has ever received so much TV, radio, newspaper, and magazine coverage. No previous pope has written more encyclicals, books, and letters. In a sense, he was the conscience of the world.

In fact, many historians believe John Paul II changed the course of history. His many achievements include:

• He worked for and achieved the collapse of communism.
  
• He spoke to the moral conscience of the world.
  
• He pursued dialogue with other world religions and worked to improve relations between Christians and Jews.
  
• He kept alive the vision and spirit of Vatican II.
  
• He repeatedly spoke out against the evils of materialism and violence.
  
• He inspired people everywhere--young and old, poor and rich with his example of forgiveness and faith.

Pope John Paul II was a man of extraordinary faith and devotion. His spiritual vision led him to canonize hundreds of saints, many more than the combined total of all modern popes. For Pope John Paul II, the saints were vivid examples of the many different ways to live a holy life.

Pope John Paul II brightened the world in many ways. He was a shining example of living faith. He sought to protect human life. He served the poor. He radiated mercy, imploring forgiveness of the Church's past sins. His words and actions taught us that we cannot live without God. His extensive writings, including countless encyclicals, apostolic exhortations and letters, were bold and ambitious efforts to shore up spiritual values, to solidify theology, and to promote respect for every person from conception to death.

Pope John Paul II uniquely captured the imagination and ideals of young people and adults. In fact, John Paul II is the only pope within the memory of the younger population. Year after year, he ranked high on the list of heroes most admired by young people. In July 2001, in advance of the 17th annual World Youth Day, the Pope again demonstrated his special relationship with young people, "It is the nature of human beings, and especially youth, to seek the Absolute, the meaning and fullness of life.... Do not let yourselves be dispirited by those who are disillusioned with life and have grown deaf to the deepest and most authentic desires of the heart. You are right to be disappointed with hollow entertainment and passing fads, and with aiming at too little in life. If you have an ardent desire for the Lord you will steer clear of the mediocrity and conformity so widespread in our society."

What is remarkable about this message, as is true of countless other papal messages, is that it simultaneously reaches an audience far beyond young people. It is as if the Pope is face to face with the entire world and is warmly embracing young people, adult Catholics, people of other faiths, and, for that matter, the unchurched. Such universal appeal is rare among world leaders.

But the Pope, both in his years of vigorous health and in his years of declining health, also transcended cultures. Pope John Paul II's facility with eight languages and his prodigious travel schedule to all points of the world allowed him to have an impact on global events.
Every aspect of Pope John Paul II's remarkable life showed us that faith makes all the difference. There can be no doubt, the world will miss this man of great faith and courage. Pope John Paul II has been a true apostle to the world. He was instrumental in ending communism. Equally important, he worked tirelessly to build a better world--a world based on spiritual values. No other pope of the modern era has had a greater spiritual and political impact on a sustained basis.

Thank you, Pope John Paul II for your great vision and moral leadership. We are a spiritually rejuvenated people because of your example of forgiveness, peace, justice and charity.