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| "The Holy Father has given us a powerful and poignant example of how to live in the midst of personal suffering and diminishment. The pope is giving witness to the dignity and sanctity of human life, which he has championed his entire papacy." - Bishop John F. Kinney "Young and old alike have drawn inspiration from Pope John Paul. As a parish priest and young bishop, he understood the importance of the young as a source of vibrancy and renewal in the Church. He carried that understanding into his papacy by establishing and attending World Youth Day celebrations, which provoked a tremendous outpouring of enthusiasm among the young. The elderly and infirm have been inspired by his indefatigable perseverance as his own physical limitations mounted.
Pope John Paul's love for the Church did not diminish his respect for other religious traditions. With his outreach to the leaders of the world's religions, he underscored the role of religion in serving world peace." - Bishop William S. Skylstad "This was an extraordinary man. He was brilliant. If he had never become pope, Karol Wojtyla would have gone down, I think, as one of the major Catholic philosophers of the 20th century. ... I think that he was a strong leader, he was a brilliant guide, but more than anything else, I think, he was a man who loved people. And people understood that and people reacted to that." - Cardinal Theodore McCarrick "The Catholic Church has lost its shepherd, the world has lost a champion of human freedom, and a good and faithful servant of God has been called home." - President George W Bush
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| "At the time when communism was breaking down, finally, and needed strong people who were prepared to push those boulders aside, and to make it possible for tyranny to end in Europe, the pope was ... one of the most important actors in that great (drama). If you look at what happened in 1989 and 1990 and 1991 you cannot but help recognize the tremendous contribution of Pope John Paul II to those dramatic events and, therefore, to freedom, and he didn't stop there. He has continued to be a voice for those who are oppressed, for those who are seeking freedom." - US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice "The forgiveness of this man -- this is huge. For him to go into the prison and meet with a man that tried to kill him and to forgive him, this is an example, of course, that Christ gave from the cross when he said, 'Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.' For him to go into the prison and to forgive this man and speak to him, and pray with him, was a great example to all of us. We need to forgive and move on in life, and John Paul II certainly did that -- and that is a great example to everyone." - Rev. Franklin Graham "The death of Pope John Paul II brings to an end one of the epic stories of our time, even as it reminds us of life eternal. Both an upholder of tradition, and a breaker of tradition, Pope John Paul II did as much as anyone to liberate the victims of Communism. He was loved by all, even those who did not belong to his church. He will be mourned by the entire human family." - former President Ford. "The Pope has created a wealth of precedents. Without the Pope the history of Poland would have been quite different; Solidarnosc, worker struggles, the fall of communist dictatorship served as the gateway for the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The Pope gave Polish popular dissent a moral dignity which were crucial to the course of later events.
- Italian Communications Minister Maurizio Gasparri "He took a very personal interest in the people bishops were representing... " - Archbishop Francis Carroll "The outpouring of love across the world is a testimony to the greatness of the pope. The pope is an inspiration to millions of Americans and people all over the world for his great moral leadership." - Scott McClellan, White House Spokesman "God has called home a great and saintly man. Our sorrow at John Paul II's leaving us should be tempered by the realization that he is finally at peace with the Father. I am sure he is praying for us even now, as we are praying for him." - Rep. Henry Hyde, Ill. "His was always a voice of hope, and I think that that would be very appropriate and very fitting for anyone who was commenting about him, to tell the people, 'Be not afraid '....." - Father Bud Roland
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| "We know what the pope has achieved. Fifty percent of the collapse of communism is his doing. After his first visit as pope to Poland, he ended Mass with a prayer for the Holy Spirit to "renew the face of the Earth," words that became a rallying cry. After that we were able to organize 10 million people for strikes, protests and negotiations. Earlier we tried and couldn't do it. These are facts. Of course, communism would have fallen, but much later and in a bloody way. He was a gift from the heavens to us." - Lech Walesa, founder of Solidarity Movement "Today we lost a hero of our age. Karol Wojtyla lived and died a warrior-saint, and we remember with joy and gratitude his service to mankind. At the news of his death, we mourn, we pray, and we bow our heads in thanks that such men ever live. He was more than a good and holy man: he was a lion." - House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Texas. "Pope John Paul II was a healer and a beacon of light around the world advocating for the poor, the oppressed and the unborn. He was and continues to be an inspiration to not only the 1 billion members of the Catholic Church but also to all other people of faith around the world. From the Middle East to the former Soviet Union and beyond, he will be remembered for his respect for life and liberty and his message of peace. No one in recent times has worked harder for the greater good of his fellow man than Pope John Paul II. Because of his work, the world is a better place." - House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. |
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