Posted on 06/04/2005 8:23:30 AM PDT by RushCrush
WARSAW, Poland - Pope John Paul II's longtime private secretary said Saturday he did not burn the late pontiff's notes as his will demanded, arguing that the papers contain "great riches" and should instead be preserved.
Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, who worked with the pope from 1966 until his death earlier this year, told Polish state radio there are "quite a lot of manuscripts on various issues," but he offered no details.
"Nothing has been burned," Dziwisz said. "Nothing is fit for burning, everything should be preserved and kept for history, for the future generations — every single sentence."
"These are great riches that should gradually be made available to the public."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I'm not sure what to think of this. I can see where we would want to save his notes, however, it was not only a verbal wish but stated in his will?
Hmm, not following the pontiffs written statement?
They should burn the notes, obviously John Paul was more interested in his heavenly reward than people here on earth pawing through his private thoughts and papers.
The right and moral thing to do would be to burn the notes. I just don't understand.
I read about another person, Augustus Toplady, who directed in his will that all his manuscripts to be burned. Quite frankly I'm puzzled at why a person would make such a request.
Anybody who wants to read my pithy sayings after I'm gone can have at them. They'll find most of my great "theological treasures" here at FR. :O)
I'm torn. Of course I would love to read JP's notes, but it was his will after all. Strange.
He sees $$$$$$.
Wills should be honored. They are a sacred trust. This sets a bad precedent and example.
"You burn if you want to. The Sec'y's not for burning!"
I have to agree. The papacy should be setting a good example, not refusing one's last written request to curb their own curiousity. Perhaps God didn't want his thoughts given to John Paul expressed right now.
The more I think about this, the more disappointed I am.
I don't think the Pope was concerned with people pawing through his personal papers, I think that he did not want to be made out to be anything beyond a mortal man, a servant of God. That's how I saw it, anyway.
In the US, I no longer trust our courts (don't know to what extent - some will) to honor anything like I once would have.
"The right and moral thing to do would be to burn the notes. I just don't understand."
Follow the money.
I agree, the Pontiff's last wishes should be obeyed. To do any less is dishonor to his memory.
Apparently, there is no honor left among some quarters.
I would agree. He probably saw that people would deify him. He was a devoted and admirable Christian, a good example, but not to be deified. A servant, not the Master. I hope the Secretary will find it in his heart to burn the papers. It's the right thing to do.
More dishonorable behavior and double-dealing by filth that won't follow the instructions of a Will. Either burn them, or have the balls to release them all at once (if even then it can be believed they weren't edited).
This is not his decision to make. I hope the new pontiff steps in and sees that John Paul's wishes are carried out. The Archbishop has lost a lot of the respect that I would naturally have for him.
Calm down, cowboy. The Archbishop says they're valuable; since he worked with JPII for nearly 40 years, we can trust that they are.
They should be preserved.
He's the executor. It is his decision.
My mother has stated in her will that my brother and I get equal shares of her estate, however, as the executor, I think I should get it all.
Then your brother can sue you.
Who's going to sue to burn JPII's papers?
The Archbishop knew him well, and can be forgiven if he believes these papers should be preserved.
Sure, he could sue. It wouldn't happen because I would respect the wishes of the person who wrote the will. I would wish the Secretary (especially as a representative of the Church) to do the right and decent thing. If he respected the Pope, he would have bowed to his wishes no matter what his personal thoughts were.
The right thing to do is to preserve the papers of a saint of the Church.
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