Thank You--Pope John Paul II
My wife and I were married on June 11, 1978. We spent the summer planning for a year of post-graduate study in Edinburgh, Scotland. Pope Paul VI died in August and his successor, John Paul I, was elected just before we left. One month later, while on a weekend visit to Inverness, we heard the news of the new Pope's death over a store radio.
When John Paul II was elected shortly thereafter, there was a palpable sigh of relief knowing that the long line of Italian Popes had been at last broken by a relatively unknown Polish Cardinal....and a young one at that! Although speculation was that he might serve as Pope for a long time I do not believe that many actually thought that he would serve for as long as he has and as vigorously.
John Paul II was always somewhat of an outsider....almost a Mr. Smith Goes To Washington sort of a Pope. He carried none of the cloistered Vatican aura. He was a man of the people...a Pole who had suffered under both the Nazis and Soviet Communism. He was not luke-warm in his opinions of either. His clear, ringing condemnation of Communism in general and in Poland in particular paved the way for Lech Walesa's rise to prominence, the turmoil of the Polish unions and a general resurgence of the Catholic Church in Poland, as people found an ally and an alternative to oppression.
When Margaret Thatcher became the British Prime Minister in 1979 the Pope found another bold and famously anti-Communist ally in the "Iron Maiden."
With Ronald Reagan's rise to the US Presidency in 1980 this triumvirate of world leaders led the rest of the Western nations kicking and screaming into a period of bluff, counter-bluff and down-right confrontation in eye-to-eye challenges to the Soviet Union and its secular, humanist, materialist view of life.
In all of this, Pope John Paul II was the moral voice of thoughtful reason. His cause was supported by the strong literary voice of moral conscience found in Solzhenitsyn; a man who was also shamelessly Christian in his vision of right and wrong, good and evil.
Reagan translated this moral power into political policy that a world in free-fall from traditional Christian morality neither supported nor truly understood.
History has proven these men and women to have been correct in their understanding of history, theological/philosophical truth and human nature.
Both before and after the fall of European Communism, John Paul II carried his vision of universal moral and social truth throughout the world. His popularity in Latin America and Africa raised the status of the Christian faith and empowered both national leaders and ordinary citizens to stand up and reject oppression and the suppression of human rights on both continents.
Significant was the fact that John Paul II intentionally reached out to the world's youth with a vision of purity, holiness, sobriety and chastity. To its surprise, nations around the world found their children responding with enthusiasm to this new-found voice of reason. What John Paul II told the youth was what the youth instinctively already knew was true. They had simply never before had the experience of hearing an adult express that truth in such a humble, winsome manner....albeit ensconced in the trappings of the wealth, the pomp and ceremony of the Papacy.
No one to my knowledge has ever questioned the personal integrity of John Paul II. His transparent genuineness and sincerity magnified his already formidable influence. His intellectual facilities enhanced this even more.
Although a spiritual leader for millions he never forgot that he was only one human among many. He reached out to those of other faiths and to both Protestant and Orthodox Christians as well. On several occasions he gathered hundreds of leaders from every faith and from every continent to affirm mutual forbearance towards one another and to seek common cause for peace and justice. In doing this he never attempted to play down the differences that divided us. The effect was not to diminish or dismiss the beliefs of others but, ironically, to affirm them as unique and distinct.
During his tenure Christian ecumenism did not achieve anything close to a "universality" of the Christian Church but it did manage to break down many of the walls of suspicion and distrust that had kept the Body of Christ so divided and fractured for far too long. Although still divided by differences in our understanding of grace and faith, Roman Catholics and Protestants are now closer to mutual affirmation and friendship than any other time in history.
While open and tolerant of others, John Paul II was a stern and demanding disciplinarian within his own communion. The church he inherited had become something like a spiritual F-Troop. John Paul II came onto the scene wielding his authority like a drill sergeant, whipping his troops into the shape of a cohesive unit. His clear and unblinking leadership prevented the sort of fragmentation and fuzzy faith that has corrupted other Christian bodies such as the Anglican communion over the past several decades. Central to this mission was his unwavering support for life, including the unborn, the disabled and those caught in the crossfire of war and the effects of natural disasters.
The final years of his reign were marred by a myriad of charges against numerous American priests for sexually assaulting young boys. Particularly offensive was the revelation that many of the priests who had committed such acts were simply reassigned to other parishes instead of being disciplined or defrocked. In some cases they continued their misbehavior in successive parishes. As always, John Paul II took a hard stance against such behavior and encouraged the American Church to purge itself of those who had looked the other way, accept responsibility and, subsequently, pay many millions of dollars in civil damage suits.
In many ways he has been the preeminent spiritual leader for the world, casting his shadow even over the otherwise towering international figure of Billy Graham. As his shadow passes it will take some time to adjust to the glare the will emerge in his absence
.
Personally, my entire married life and ministry have fallen under his tenure as Pope as well as exactly one-half of my life. Although a Reformed Protestant I have been greatly blessed by his leadership and example on behalf of the Body of Christ. Through him God and Christ have been glorified and their Kingdom made more visible on earth as it is in heaven.
By far the most memorable image that will remain of this particular Pope will be that of his private meeting with the man who had attempted to assassinate him just a few months earlier. This image will forever represent the highest ideals of Jesus: Love, forgiveness and reconciliation which, taken together, represent the path to peace.
As the hour approaches for us to say good-bye to the mortal life of Pope John Paul II there will be every reason for us to give thanks to Almighty God for men like him. By God's grace may we be blessed with men and women like him in the years to come.
Karol Josef Woitja.... Thank you!
When John Paul II was elected shortly thereafter, there was a palpable sigh of relief knowing that the long line of Italian Popes had been at last broken by a relatively unknown Polish Cardinal....and a young one at that! Although speculation was that he might serve as Pope for a long time I do not believe that many actually thought that he would serve for as long as he has and as vigorously.
John Paul II was always somewhat of an outsider....almost a Mr. Smith Goes To Washington sort of a Pope. He carried none of the cloistered Vatican aura. He was a man of the people...a Pole who had suffered under both the Nazis and Soviet Communism. He was not luke-warm in his opinions of either. His clear, ringing condemnation of Communism in general and in Poland in particular paved the way for Lech Walesa's rise to prominence, the turmoil of the Polish unions and a general resurgence of the Catholic Church in Poland, as people found an ally and an alternative to oppression.
When Margaret Thatcher became the British Prime Minister in 1979 the Pope found another bold and famously anti-Communist ally in the "Iron Maiden."
With Ronald Reagan's rise to the US Presidency in 1980 this triumvirate of world leaders led the rest of the Western nations kicking and screaming into a period of bluff, counter-bluff and down-right confrontation in eye-to-eye challenges to the Soviet Union and its secular, humanist, materialist view of life.
In all of this, Pope John Paul II was the moral voice of thoughtful reason. His cause was supported by the strong literary voice of moral conscience found in Solzhenitsyn; a man who was also shamelessly Christian in his vision of right and wrong, good and evil.
Reagan translated this moral power into political policy that a world in free-fall from traditional Christian morality neither supported nor truly understood.
History has proven these men and women to have been correct in their understanding of history, theological/philosophical truth and human nature.
Both before and after the fall of European Communism, John Paul II carried his vision of universal moral and social truth throughout the world. His popularity in Latin America and Africa raised the status of the Christian faith and empowered both national leaders and ordinary citizens to stand up and reject oppression and the suppression of human rights on both continents.
Significant was the fact that John Paul II intentionally reached out to the world's youth with a vision of purity, holiness, sobriety and chastity. To its surprise, nations around the world found their children responding with enthusiasm to this new-found voice of reason. What John Paul II told the youth was what the youth instinctively already knew was true. They had simply never before had the experience of hearing an adult express that truth in such a humble, winsome manner....albeit ensconced in the trappings of the wealth, the pomp and ceremony of the Papacy.
No one to my knowledge has ever questioned the personal integrity of John Paul II. His transparent genuineness and sincerity magnified his already formidable influence. His intellectual facilities enhanced this even more.
Although a spiritual leader for millions he never forgot that he was only one human among many. He reached out to those of other faiths and to both Protestant and Orthodox Christians as well. On several occasions he gathered hundreds of leaders from every faith and from every continent to affirm mutual forbearance towards one another and to seek common cause for peace and justice. In doing this he never attempted to play down the differences that divided us. The effect was not to diminish or dismiss the beliefs of others but, ironically, to affirm them as unique and distinct.
During his tenure Christian ecumenism did not achieve anything close to a "universality" of the Christian Church but it did manage to break down many of the walls of suspicion and distrust that had kept the Body of Christ so divided and fractured for far too long. Although still divided by differences in our understanding of grace and faith, Roman Catholics and Protestants are now closer to mutual affirmation and friendship than any other time in history.
While open and tolerant of others, John Paul II was a stern and demanding disciplinarian within his own communion. The church he inherited had become something like a spiritual F-Troop. John Paul II came onto the scene wielding his authority like a drill sergeant, whipping his troops into the shape of a cohesive unit. His clear and unblinking leadership prevented the sort of fragmentation and fuzzy faith that has corrupted other Christian bodies such as the Anglican communion over the past several decades. Central to this mission was his unwavering support for life, including the unborn, the disabled and those caught in the crossfire of war and the effects of natural disasters.
The final years of his reign were marred by a myriad of charges against numerous American priests for sexually assaulting young boys. Particularly offensive was the revelation that many of the priests who had committed such acts were simply reassigned to other parishes instead of being disciplined or defrocked. In some cases they continued their misbehavior in successive parishes. As always, John Paul II took a hard stance against such behavior and encouraged the American Church to purge itself of those who had looked the other way, accept responsibility and, subsequently, pay many millions of dollars in civil damage suits.
In many ways he has been the preeminent spiritual leader for the world, casting his shadow even over the otherwise towering international figure of Billy Graham. As his shadow passes it will take some time to adjust to the glare the will emerge in his absence
.
Personally, my entire married life and ministry have fallen under his tenure as Pope as well as exactly one-half of my life. Although a Reformed Protestant I have been greatly blessed by his leadership and example on behalf of the Body of Christ. Through him God and Christ have been glorified and their Kingdom made more visible on earth as it is in heaven.
By far the most memorable image that will remain of this particular Pope will be that of his private meeting with the man who had attempted to assassinate him just a few months earlier. This image will forever represent the highest ideals of Jesus: Love, forgiveness and reconciliation which, taken together, represent the path to peace.
As the hour approaches for us to say good-bye to the mortal life of Pope John Paul II there will be every reason for us to give thanks to Almighty God for men like him. By God's grace may we be blessed with men and women like him in the years to come.
Karol Josef Woitja.... Thank you!
posted by Bird of Paradise at 5:05 PM
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