Posted on 04/02/2005 4:39:18 PM PST by BCrago66
Pope John Paul II died this afternoon. The New York Times reports on his papacy in an article that inadvertently tells us more than the Times really wanted us to know. The Times had its criticisms of John Paul's papacy ready to go, but apparently went looking for something good to say about the Pope at the last minute:
Even as his own voice faded away, his views on the sanctity of all human life echoed unambiguously among Catholics and Christian evangelicals in the United States on issues from abortion to the end of life.
need some quote from supporter
John Paul II's admirers were as passionate as his detractors, for whom his long illness served as a symbol for what they said was a decrepit, tradition-bound papacy in need of rejuvenation and a bolder connection with modern life.
"The situation in the Catholic church is serious," Hans Kung, the eminent Swiss theologian, who was barred by from teaching in Catholic schools because of his liberal views, wrote last week. "The pope is gravely ill and deserves every compassion. But the Church has to live. ...
In my opinion, he is not the greatest pope but the most contradictory of the 20th century. A pope of many, great gifts, and of many bad decisions!"
Among liberal Catholics, he was criticized for his strong opposition to abortion, homosexuality and contraception, as well as the ordination of women and married men. Though he was never known as a strong administrator of the dense Vatican bureaucracy, he kept a centralizing hand on the selection of bishops around the world and enforced a rigid adherence to many basic church teachings among the clergy and Catholic theologians.
There you have it. The Times' criticisms are ready to go, a few good words for the Pope are an afterthought.
UPDATE: I got a screen grab of the second page of the Times article, just before they changed it to delete the "need some quote from supporter:"
I stopped to get gas on my way to work yesterday here in NY. I went into the gas station to grab something to drink- I noticed the Slimes was the only NY paper that had nothing about the Holy Father on the front cover- didn't surprise me.
I've taken my 2-year old daughter to church every weekend since she was six months old. Today we went to Radio City to see "Dora the Explorer Live". After the show, not knowing the Pope had passed and in a torential downpour we made our way over to St. Pat's to light a candle for the Pontiff and say a prayer.
My 2 year old daughter would look at people, put her finger to her mouth and say "sshhhh.." Too bad no one from the Slimes was on hand- they would've learned something. ;)
Thanks for your thoughtful post. I believe it was a a combination of his age, his non violent position in the Eastern European countries and also as a man who had seen what war can do was certainly influenced by that. Also, as most other nations, he had no idea at that time of the Oil for Food program and was most likely cautious regarding the Catholics there, seeing so much Christian persecution around the world.
Having said all that, I still think he missed the boat on this one and much may be due to his age and the counsel he was given.
As far as the Pope supporting/opposing any war goes:
AS I understand it, the Vatican has its own spy agency. If so, the Pope had to rely on that agency for his information. How could the Pope trust US intelligence above his own?
FReegards....
I read the "screen grab" of the 2nd page, and it speaks notes that the Pope never strayed from his view of the "redemption OF Jesus Christ".
Don't they mean THROUGH Him? They really don't have a clue about Christianity, do they?
Ultimately, I don't fault him for opposing the war in Iraq, any more than I support it. Its not a faith and morals matter, and in those two he is incapable of error when speaking for the Church, but other areas are fair game (he could have rooted for the Eagles or the Yankees--and it wouldn't have helped either win.).
I wonder if we have or could have any information on the Pope's thoughts AFTER we went into Iraq and after the Iraqui elections? That would be interesting.
Darn, I wish he had prayed for the Eagles!(ha)
The Catholic Church has been in existence since men communicated by papyrus scrolls; and it will exist ages after the New York Times has faded from memory. They are nothing but a mere annoyance!
As a died in the wool fundamentalist protestant, can I say a few things about the passing of John Paul II?
He wasn't the leader of my denomination but he was a great man for the following:
1. He helped liberate the world from godless communism
2. He cared about the poor and loved Jesus
3. He respected all life, both unborn and feedin-assisted.
4. He was a mystic that taught us much about suffering and the suffering of Christ.
5. He was an orthodox man that didn't give in to liberal theology or revolutions.
6. He will be greatly missed as a leader in these perilous times. we can only hope for such a grat man to succeed him
Don't be to sure. Didn't ACTUP, NAMBLA or some such group stage a riot at some church in SF? If they decide to stage one in NYC much of the Times staff will be leading it.
I noticed that Fox sent Shep Smith to Rome---do you know if he is Catholic---
I know that during the Terri Schiavo story, he seemed almost totally on MS's side---so when the Pope had a feeding tube inserted, he kinda had a deer in headlights look on his face when he reported it---
He has taken a distinctly different attitude in reporting on the Popes illness and death--
He said there would be 9 days of mourning and prolly 2 -3 weeks before they name a new Pope---do you think Shep will stay in Rome that long? That would make it the #l story pretty much if he does...
OOPSY--I posted this too soon, I just saw on the Fox ticker that Teddy Kennedy said that he joins his fellow Catholics in mourning the passing of this great man, Pope John Paul ll.
Yeah, I bet Kennedy hated this Pope, he (Kennedy) was against everything this Pope stood for except being against the Iraq War, and I bet towards the end, even the Pope might have told George Bush "job well done" if he had lived long enough to see the democracy in Iraq at work....Teddy will NEVER admit anything good has come from Bush's presidency...
I bet he also hates that Bush is going to go to the funeral, he prolly thinks that if John Kerry had won, it would have been justified since Kerry is such a devout Catholic doncha know?
I bet even ole Clinton and Hillbilly are jealous, THEY didn't get to attend a papal funeral, with all of the pomp and cirucumstance can't you just see the "royal" Clintoons, trying to steal the show in Rome?
BE STRONG ALL GOOD PERSONS!!!!!!!!THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!BE STRONG!!!!GOOD G-D DO WILL HELP!!!!THANK YOU
I wish there was something I could do to help you get through this--be strong!
Beautiful pictures. I guess the people of Poland feel the loss much more personally than anyone because he was one of them.
rofl!!
Liberal catholics also believe the Bible is a living document, much like their belief of the constitution!
Thank you for those wonderful pictures.
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