Posted on 06/01/2009 9:44:43 AM PDT by NYer
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The beatification of Pope John Paul II may be delayed as the Vatican seeks more documentation regarding his almost 27 years as pope, Italian newspapers reported in late May.
According to the newspaper La Stampa, the chief holdup regards hundreds of letters he wrote before and after his election to Wanda Poltawska, a longtime friend and adviser to the pope.
Meanwhile, the newspaper Il Giornale, reported that a commission of theologians meeting in mid-May decided the information contained in the official "positio," or position paper, was not complete enough. In particular, the newspaper cited the fact that Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state under Pope John Paul, and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, his deputy at the time, had not given testimony in the case.
Neither newspaper quoted any of the commission members by name nor included comments from current officials of the Congregation for Saints' Causes.
Passionist Father Ciro Benedettini, vice director of the Vatican press office, said June 1 there would be no official comment from the Vatican while the process was under way.
La Stampa published an interview with Poltawska June 1 in which she said she met Father Karol Wojtyla, the future pope, in 1950 when she was looking for a confessor and spiritual director to guide her in the long process of recovering from her internment as a political prisoner in the Nazis' Ravensbruck concentration camp, where medical experiments were performed on prisoners.
Along with her husband and, often with their children, "we shared interests, important moments, spirituality and that love for nature that we experienced camping in the mountains of southern Poland and even in the golden cage that was (the papal villa at) Castel Gandolfo," after his election as pope in 1978, she said.
"From the first time I met him I knew he would become a saint," Poltawska said. "His holiness was evident, he radiated an interior light that was impossible to hide."
Poltawska said she has a "suitcase full of his letters," written over the course of 55 years.
"I cannot tell you how many I gave to the beatification cause," because she took an oath of secrecy regarding the cause, she said. "I did not destroy any of them. I selected some and decided to publish them in Poland, even though some people did not agree," she said.
JPII ping!
What are the miracle attributed to John Paul II?
It needs to be delayed for a good long time.
His pontificate needs to be looked at from a historical lens, NOT the emotions of today.
It will be fascinating to see what these letters reveal about PJII that we did not already know. I am sure they will only further validate his candidacy.
Good point.
Thank you.
Although JPII was a very good and spiritual man, he was lacking in the Shepherd department. Under his watch, while he jetted around the world, ministering to Non-Christians, his own flock was led astray.
B16 is cleaning up his mess. Thank YOU Lord!
Until we see how that works out, JPII’s beatification should be on the back burner.
Nun Cured of Parkinson's Disease
‘Miraculous’ recovery from ‘non-survivable’ gunshot wound
IIRC, there is also an Italian man who was cured of lung cancer.
I am not a fan of JPII as an administrator, even tho I admire his personal holiness. Also have a problem with his theological leaning towards universal salvation.
Another problem for him, a rumor now circling that Pope Benedict will indeed do a very public consecration of Russia specifically along with all the bishops of the world, as requested by Our Lady. If that happens, it would make JPII a liar.
I don't know exactly who wrote these statemente, but more importantly I agree whith it.
I want to know how much he knew or did not know about the child abuses that took place during his papacy. Rumors were already all over the place by 1980... Where was he?
Also, he was a good man and a popular man... But does that make him a SAINT?... I don't know if the world would buy it today... Seems "forced" just because he was popular... Best thing is to wait until time settle things down.
>>I don’t know exactly who wrote these statements, but more importantly I agree with it.<<
I did. A Cradle Catholic Polish Mom.
Honestly, the child sexual abuse is an offshoot of the Homosexual priest problem.
The idea of the Pope ignoring this because in communist countries, those that the government wanted imprisoned were accused of being homosexuals, only goes so far in my book. Twenty years is a long time to be unaware of the problem.
Along with that, our pews were emptying. The progressives were ruining our Holy Mass and he was letting breakdancers perform at the Vatican. All the while “ministering” to Non-Catholics. He needed to shepherd US!
We need time to see this papacy for what it was.
I could not agree with you more! Thank you.
Oh dear.....
(eyes rolling....)
If you feel differently, I would welcome an opinion that would change my mind.
And there goes our breaking news for Beautification:
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