Posted on 04/07/2005 8:55:52 AM PDT by BigSkyFreeper
The following is an English translation of the official Vatican Italian translation of the text of Pope John Paul II's last will and testament, which was originally written in Polish with successive additions. Dates have been written according to European convention, which makes "6.3.1979" represent March 6, 1979.
The document begins with a Latin phrase that reads, "I am completely in Your hands," and follows with a citation from the New Testament.
The testament of 6.3.1979
Totus Tuus ego sum
In the Name of the Holiest Trinity. Amen.
"Keep watch, because you do not know which day when the Lord will come" - These words remind me of the final call, which will come the moment that the Lord will choose. I desire to follow Him and desire that all that is part of my earthly life shall prepare me for this moment. I do not know when it will come, but, like all else, this moment too I place into the hands of the Mother of My Master: Totus Tuus. In the same maternal hands I place All those with whom my life and vocation are bound. Into these Hands I leave above all the Church, and also my Nation and all humanity. I thank everyone. To everyone I ask forgiveness. I also ask prayers, so that the Mercy of God will loom greater than my weakness and unworthiness.
During spiritual exercises I reflected upon the testament of the Holy Father Paul VI. This study has led me to write the present testament.
I do not leave behind me any property which necessitates disposal. Regarding those items of daily use of which I made use, I ask that they be distributed as may appear opportune. My personal notes are to be burned. I ask that Don Stanislaw oversees this and thank him for the collaboration and help so prolonged over the years and so comprehensive. All other thanks, instead, I leave in my heart before God Himself, because it is difficult to express them.
Regarding the funeral, I repeat the same disposition given by the Holy Father Paul VI: Burial in the bare earth, not in a tomb, 13.3.92.
Apud Dominum misericordia et copiosa apud Eum redemptio
John Paul pp.II
Rome 6.3.1979
Following my death I ask for Holy Masses and prayers
5.3.1990
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I express the deepest faith that, despite all my weakness, the Lord will accord me every necessary grace to face, according to His will, whatever task, trial and suffering that will be demanded of His servant, during the course of my life. I also have faith that never will it be permitted that, through my behavior: by words, actions or omissions, I betray my obligations in this holy seat of Peter.
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24.II-1.III.1980
Also during these spiritual exercises I have reflected upon the truth of the Priesthood of Christ in the perspective of that Crossing which is for each one of us the moment of death. In taking leave of this world - to be born into the other, the future world, eloquent sign is for us the Resurrection of Christ.
I therefore read the copy of my testament of the last year, it also made during spiritual exercises - I compared it with the testament of my great Predecessor and Father Paul VI, with that sublime witness to the death of a Christian and of a pope - and I renewed in myself consciousness of the questions, to which refers the copy of 6.III.1979, prepared by me (in a rather provisional way).
Today I desire to add to it only this, that each one of us must keep in mind the prospect of death. And must be ready to present himself before the Lord and Judge - and contemporaneously Redeemer and Father. Then I too can take this into consideration continuously, entrusting that decisive moment to the Mother of Christ and of the Church - to the Mother of my hope.
The times in which we live are indescribably difficult and troubled. Difficult and tense has become the life of the Church as well, characteristic trial of these times - as much for the Faithful, as much as for the Pastors. In some Countries (as, e.g. in that one about which I was reading during the spiritual exercises), the Church finds itself in a period of persecution that is not inferior to those of the first centuries; on the contrary, the degree of cruelty and hatred is greater still. Sanguis martyrum - semen christianorum (Eds: Latin for "Blood of the martyrs - seeds of Christians"). And beyond this - so many people disappear innocently, even in this Country, in which we live...
I desire once more to entrust myself totally to the mercy of the Lord. He himself will decide when and how I must finish my earthly life and pastoral ministry. In life and in death Totus Tuus through the Immaculate. Accepting this death already, I hope that Christ will give me grace for my final passage, which is Easter. I hope too that it shall be made useful also for this important cause in which I am trying to serve: the salvation of men, the safeguarding of the human family and of all the nations and the peoples (among these I refer in particular to my earthly Country), useful for the persons who in a special way have entrusted to me for the questions of the Church, for the glory of God himself.
I do not desire to add anything to that which I wrote a year ago - only express this readiness and at the same time this faith, to which the present spiritual exercises prepared me.
I thought it was pretty neat to hear the Rosary in Latin the day they moved JPII's body into the Sistine Chapel.
You mean like where St. Louis Marie de Montfort says that "next to God, Mary is a mere atom, even less, a nothing"?
Frankly, sir, you Protestants ought to obsess less about the alleged "idolatry" of Catholics and deal with the idolatries in your own lives. Money. Power. Pleasure. Food. Sex. Don't tell me you don't have them; we all do.
Repent, and seek ye first the kingdom of God. Mary is not God. I know that, the Pope knew that, and that should be enough for you all.
Therein lies the chasam. There is a huge difference between a symbol of something vs. the thing itself. Transubstantiation contends that what is consumed is Christ himself, literally & physically - a sacrifice indeed, and repeated by the billions.
Nope. The bread and wine become the body and blood of the sacrificed Christ. This is what Jesus taught the disciples during the Last Supper. He asked that his followers do this "in remembrance" of him.
That's what transubstatiation is. It is not a repeat of the process of sacrifice. It is a repetition of the miracle of the first transubstantiation.
You are misunderstanding the doctrine, I'm afraid.
Nota bene: This is not my belief. It is my understanding of the belief in transubstantiation.
Nobody is replacing the Trinity with Mary or the saints. I have no idea where you get this idea. As has been pointed out numerous times here, we simply ask them to pray for us. That in no way means we are replacing the Trinity for them. I pray to God, and I pray for the saints and the Virgin Mary to pray for me as well. You just continue to show your ignorance and self righteousness.
Yes. Folded hands, bowed head, asking a disembodied being to do things for you. Sounds like prayer to me.
Where in scripture are we directed to earnestly talk to the dead?
Very well said.
Cheers,
CSG
Artfully was supposed to be sarcastic.
What's so special about being created without sin when it has no relationship to whether you sin, which apparently it doesn't?
Please. Do you even know the difference between prayer and worship? Prayer is a conversation. Have you listened to the words of the "Hail Mary"? Was Gabriel "worshiping" Mary when he saluted her, "Hail, full of grace!"???
The first part of the Hail Mary is composed of two passages from Scripture. The second part petitions her to pray for our souls.
Please point out where Mary is being "worshiped".
Where in the Bible does it say that saints in heaven can even hear the prayers of humans on earth? Where does it say in the bible to pray to saints? Why take the chance?
"Nobody is replacing the Trinity with Mary" - the Pope is: "I AM ALL YOURS"
You missed the point entirely. Nice try though.
Dear, a comma does not wipe out the second half of the sentence. The fear of works was fear that people would be boastful of doing good and righteous acts.
Seems that the most boastful are the Protestants; boasting about how they don't do works so they won't boast.
The Transfiguration, or, "Jesus speaks to two dead guys named Moses and Elijah."
Does that help?
Can't imagine why there is a Protestant(Protester) Church. Where in the Bible does it state we are to place anything into the hands of the "Mother of My Master" bypassing Christ???? Show me from the Bible and I will do as you say, but not if it comes from some church doctrine that is not found in the Bible. BTW I have read the Bible.
Yes. I hear that all the time when an eight year-old can't respond to the truth. Please point out my error or retract your accusation the Catholics worship Mary.
Touché.
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