Book: John Paul II used belt to whip himself

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | January 26, 2010 | A. P.

[Graybeard58]

VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul II whipped himself with a belt, even on vacation, and slept on the floor as acts of penitence and to bring him closer to Christian perfection, according to a new book by the Polish prelate spearheading his sainthood case.

The book "Why He's a Saint" also includes previously unpublished speeches and documents written by John Paul, including one 1989 signed memo in which he said he would resign if he became incapacitated.

The book also reported for the first time that John Paul forgave his would-be assassin in the ambulance on the way to the hospital moments after he was shot on May 13, 1981, in St. Peter's Square. And it reported that he initially thought his attacker was a member of the Italian terrorist organization the Red Brigades.

The book was written by Monsignor Slawomir Oder, the postulator, or main promoter, for John Paul's canonization cause and was released Tuesday. It was based on the testimony of the 114 witnesses and boxes of documentation Oder gathered on John Paul's life to support the case.

At a news conference Tuesday, Oder defended John Paul's practice of self-mortification, which some faithful use to remind them of the suffering of Jesus on the cross.

"It's an instrument of Christian perfection," Oder said, responding to questions about how such a practice could be condoned considering Catholic teaching holds that the human body is a gift from God.

In the book, Oder wrote that John Paul frequently denied himself food -- especially during the holy season of Lent -- and "frequently spent the night on the bare floor," messing up his bed in the morning so he wouldn't draw attention to his act of penitence.

"But it wasn't limited to this. As some members of his close entourage

[MarkBsnr]

The problem is the church keeps making saints of people that did it

I'm not aware of any who were made saints because of it, but in spite of it.

[annalex]

He is, according to St. Paul’s advice, mortifying his flesh. The pope, as always, obeys the scripture.

[HarleyD]

The Roman Catholic Church has a deep seated history in leftist activities. They've tried very hard to have a “Holy Roman Empire” and, when that failed, tried for many centuries to make the Catholic Church the social-oriented, predominant church. Sir Thomas More, christen a saint by the RCC, wrote a book called Utopia which is nothing more than a blue print for Communism in my mind. IMO-The RCC nothing more than a leftist political lobbyist like the AMA or AFL-CIO who are willing to sacrifice principles for political clout.

Christ's kingdom is not of this world and we are his ambassador. It would be beneficial if Catholics' would read Augustine's work of the City of God which contrast the evil city of Rome with the city of Jerusalem. It is rather remarkable this is where the Church chose to set up headquarters.

Hey, I like this part of Augustine's writing:

But, let these perplexing debatings and disputations of the philosophers go on as they may, we, in order that we may confess the most high and true God Himself, do confess His will, supreme power, and prescience. Neither let us be afraid lest, after all, we do not do by will that which we do by will, because He, whose foreknowledge is infallible, foreknew that we would do it. It was this which Cicero was afraid of, and therefore opposed foreknowledge.

This should confuse the RCC as well as half the Protestants. :O)

BTW-I remember seeing a movie of Luther who use to do the same thing, of beating and starving himself, until he realized that we are saved by the works of Christ alone. The Reformation not only set Luther free, but it set the Europe free from the Church.

[Graybeard58]

Neither let us be afraid lest, after all, we do not do by will that which we do by will, because He, whose foreknowledge is infallible, foreknew that we would do it.

This should confuse the RCC as well as half the Protestants.

Not confused Baptist here. Makes perfect sense to me.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

-I remember seeing a movie of Luther who use to do the same thing, of beating and starving himself, until he realized that we are saved by the works of Christ alone. The Reformation not only set Luther free, but it set the Europe free from the Church.

Amen.

"Luther" with Joseph Fiennes was a great 2003 movie and the scene were he collapses into exhaustion from the futile task of making himself holy enough for salvation is terrific.

[JustSayNoToNannies]

The RCC nothing more than a leftist political lobbyist like the AMA or AFL-CIO who are willing to sacrifice principles for political clout.

Disagreeing with you doesn't equate to "sacrificing principles."

[HarleyD]

Ahhhhhh....a thinking Baptist. :O)

[Graybeard58]

Neither let us be afraid lest, after all, we do not do by will that which we do by will, because He, whose foreknowledge is infallible, foreknew that we would do it.

It took me some time to arrive there.

[MarkBsnr]

Ahhhhhh....a thinking Baptist. :O)

Are they that rare?

[HarleyD]

Nowadays....yes. :O)

[Forest Keeper]

Now consider the Left. They too hold to a surface level piety of being upstanding citizens for holding to such things as: political correctness, environmentalism, affirmative action, income redistribution, and other assortments of nannyism to absolve their guilt but yet expect no repercussions for enriching themselves on the thing they feel is evil, capitalism.

That's an excellent comparison.