Pope's Dying Hours Uplifted Church's Image

ABD/AP ^ | 04-03-05 | Richard Ostling

[Salvation]

Pope's Dying Hours Uplifted Church's Image

Pope John Paul II's Dying Hours Uplifted Image of Battered Roman Catholic Church He Led

Pope John Paul II gestures during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, in this Sept. 4, 2002 file photo. Pope John Paul II, the Polish pontiff who led the Roman Catholic Church for more than a quarter century and became history's most-traveled pope, has died at 84, the Vatican announced in an e-mail Saturday, April 2, 2005. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito, File)

By RICHARD N. OSTLING

The Associated Press

Apr 3, 2005 — The courage Pope John Paul II showed in his final days sparked a sustained outpouring of reverence both for him and the Roman Catholic Church at a time when the faith's image has been battered by scandal, parish closings and financial troubles.

Around the clock and around the globe, tributes on television newscasts and at public services gave the church a moment of nearly unfettered good will that likely to continue at least through the funeral ceremonies of the next week.

"Obviously, you never speak ill of the dead, or the dying. But I think this moment and this pope transcend that," said David Gibson, author of "The Coming Catholic Church."

Largely forgotten, for the moment, are liberal Catholics' long-standing criticisms of the pope's strict church policies and parishioners' lingering anger at bishops for the clerical sex abuse scandal that erupted three years ago in the United States, leading to bankruptcy in three dioceses.

Gibson thinks that the human drama of John Paul's decline his continued efforts to lead the church right up until his last hours "helps people move past a lot of the agony and bickering and pain and scandal of these recent years."

He and Chester Gillis, theology chairman at Georgetown University, agree that both liberals and conservatives have, in Gillis' words, "galvanized around the person, not necessarily the teaching or the discipline of the church that he maintained."

"Even though people disagreed with him on things, he was a remarkable world leader and communicator, an unusual intellect, a polyglot," Gillis said. "The combination of skills and gifts this man possessed was rare, and people appreciate that."

The lingering papal death watch produced warm tributes from politicians President Bush called him "a faithful servant of God and a champion of human dignity and freedom" on down to many ordinary parishioners.

The attention has not only been a boost for the church in the United States, but also in increasingly secular Europe, where the media have given events in the Holy See intense attention especially in countries with a Catholic tradition.

[Salvation]

For your reading and continued comments.

[Salvation]

**Belief gives color and meaning to life and to death, and even to suffering. When you have faith, you are no longer dealing with a flat, dull world. It is luminous with the presence of God, and holds the promise of a destiny in God’s hands. It brings life and verve to our existence. And it is always within reach of everyone.**

From another thread. Does that speak volumes to the Culture of Life example set for us by John Paul II or what?

[Salvation]

**Around the clock and around the globe, tributes on television newscasts and at public services gave the church a moment of nearly unfettered good will that likely to continue at least through the funeral ceremonies of the next week.**

This is true. Our priest this weekend said it this way:

One might think that the whole world is Catholic by watching the television.

[Salvation]

**the human drama of John Paul's decline his continued efforts to lead the church right up until his last hours "helps people move past a lot of the agony and bickering and pain and scandal of these recent years."**

Oh, I pray this is true!

[Caravaggio]

I think the Pope's patience, humility and endurance in his suffering said more to us than any encyclical he'd ever written on the subject. He was a living testimony to the Person of Christ and carrying one's cross.

[Salvation]

**He was a living testimony to the Person of Christ and carrying one's cross.**

Yes, absolutely. And especially to the handicapped and those who suffer openly. He with his Parkinson's and the bullet wounds after the attempted assassination.

Truly a gift as an example of how to die. May I be half as gracious and Christ centered in my dying hours.

[Salvation]

Last Moments Of John Paul II Described

[ConservativeLawyer]

Bump

[Gerard.P]

We are witnessing the hijacking of the Catholic Church Organization by the secular world. One step closer to the One World Religion pretending to be Catholic.

John Paul II has done incalculable damage to the Church and the World.

"He transcended his Catholic background"--Colin Powell

"He espoused a humanism that he didn't let the dogmas of his Church get in the way of." --Charles Krauthammer (paraphrase)

[murphE]

From the article:

"He and Chester Gillis, theology chairman at Georgetown University, agree that both liberals and conservatives have, in Gillis' words, "galvanized around the person, not necessarily the teaching or the discipline of the church that he maintained."

Interesting.

[Salvation]

**"He transcended his Catholic background"--Colin Powell **

I'd like to see the full context of this statement. I watched a little while this morning while Colin Powell was being interviewed on Fox News Channel and I heard nothing of the sort.

He was totally complimentary to to Pope.

[Salvation]

**"He espoused a humanism that he didn't let the dogmas of his Church get in the way of." --Charles Krauthammer (paraphrase)**

You say you are paraphrasing here. I can't imagine Krauhammer saying that the Pope didn't let dogma get in the way of???

Get in the way of what?

What is the full statement of Krauhammer?

It seems you are trying to diss the Pope.

[Gerard.P]

It was on Fox News yesterday or Friday. There was no more context to the statement they were final thoughts asked by Brit Hume.

I'm paraphrasing because I don't remember the exact order of the wording.

Krauthammer said, that JPII didn't let the dogmas of the Catholic Church get in the way of his humanism.

I think Krauthammer was right. But whereas he thinks this is great, I think it's a tragedy.

I'm not dissing the Pope. I simply think he was not good at being the Pope and has evoked enormous amounts of erroneous thinking about the Church, it's mission, the papacy, the nature of the papacy and the relationship of God to Man and the claims of the Catholic Church as the one true religion outside of which no one can be saved.

[Gerard.P]

By the way, Krauthammer mentioned JPII's humanism more than once in the whole show. So, I definitely know what his point was.

Krauthammer also thought "the Passion of the Christ"

[Salvation]

I didn't hear Krauthammer so I can't make a judgment on him. But I definitely disagree with you about John Paul II. I think history will prove you mistaken.

[Gerard.P]

oops.. didn't finish. Krauthammer thought "the Passion.." was anti-semitic. Rubbish of course.

[sinkspur]

I'm not dissing the Pope.

Coulda fooled me.

[Gerard.P]

It is history that makes me believe that JPII was not a good Pope.

All of the accolades he is being given are primarily secular. They have nothing to do with the Glory and the mission of the Papacy. Read the papal coronation oath and you'll see what the purpose of the papacy is.

As a priest said today, "His suffering over the last three days was his glory. Let us Pray that Mary came to him and obtained mercy for him before his judgement."

I find this instant canonization non-Catholic.

And I also think the title of "the Great" should be delayed at least. Since it is also being erroneously reported that only two Popes Leo and Gregory, were titled "the Great", When Nicholas the Great was also given that title.

Saint Pius X certainly would merit the title "the Great" before John Paul II. Read "Our Apostolic Mandate" and you'll be surprised at what a clear thinking and uncompromising Pope teaches.

[fortunecookie]

It seems he wanted to share it with us, to remind us it's a passing to new life. I'd always wanted to visit the Vatican and see him but have missed that opportunity. It was profoundly moving, the Holy Father's passing on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday, a feast he was pleased to institute and devotion he worked to spread, during the Year of the Eucharist as proclaimed by him last fall while the crowds outide had just finished the rosary and sang and inside, Mass had just ended. And he chose to leave us with words of joy, he was peaceful and full of joy himself. We will miss him.

[Siobhan]

John Paul the Great, Apostle of the Gospel of Life, pray for us.