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
---
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.
---
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.
to avoid E-bay? (I'm sorry that just popped out)
Am I correct in assuming that you are not catholic. As such you don't understand the meaning of it. With Mother of My Master he meant Mary, Mother of Jesus
I didn't read it. Tell me what I got.
It never ceases to amaze me that people with truly ugly, hateful totally useless thoughts and sentiments, deem them valuable enough to share with the rest of us.
Thank you, but I believe the words of Jesus. No one comes to God but through him. Mary is dead, just like everyone else who will die. We serve a living God, who rose from the dead on the third day, according to the scriptures, and sits at the right hand of the Father God.
I do not pray to a dead person, but to Jesus. Jesus told us to ask in prayer IN HIS NAME.
"I'm a Jews and I'd take take any info about Christianity from the Pope over the self proclaimed pastors at FR."
I'd think that was the best plan. Since members of the Roman Catholic church outnumber every other denomination, worldwide, I guess the Pope has something worthwhile to say about Christianity.
Any denomination of Christianity that reviles the Pope or Catholicism, I suspect, is errant to a large degree. I'm amazed at the vituperation aimed at the RCC here in these threads.
Even the very Bible these folks are claiming Catholics don't read was compiled by those very Catholics...a long time ago...from the existing writings available at that time.
Oh, well...ugly is as ugly does.
Man's fall from grace (Eden) deprived the world of the ability to enter heaven - this by virtue of original sin. That grace was not recovered until Jesus "accomplished" the sacrifice on the cross. Old Testament figures were said to rest "in the bosom of Abraham" until the gates of heaven were opened by Christ? Why? Because there was no grace. Man had "fallen from grace". If man had NOT "fallen from grace", the crucifixion would have been utterly useless.
So here comes the angel Gabriel, saluting a twelve-year-old girl as "full of grace". Full of grace.
How? Didn't man lose grace in Eden? Wasn't this what was unleashed upon the world at the death of Christ? The opening of the gates of heaven? The movement of the prophets from the bosom of Abraham into paradise?
So how could Mary be full of grace? It's there in black-and-white. There are no ifs, ands, or buts - the angel Gabriel called her "full of grace". Would he call her that if she wasn't?
The only way Mary could be full of grace would be if she was preserved from Original Sin. Without Original Sin, there is no other conclusion but that she was sinless throughout her life.
I hate it when someone corrects a silly mistake before I get a chance to ridicule it! ;-)
I read he had considered resigning in 2000. He made the will out long before then
A thank you bump for your kind comments.
Funny, that's what I told the last guy who tried to convince me that his PC was better than my Mac.
/attempt at humor to defuse the thread
http://www.wral.com/news/4355644/detail.html
I thought I heard that (some?) Catholics believe Mary was sinless, as Jesus was, too. Is that right?
"Why burn all of his personal notes?"
Why not. Notes are not official documents. They're his personal notes. I'd guess he has every right to have them burned after his death if that was his wish.
I can't see the problem.
Thanks. I totally agree with you. Some people on this board are just so self-righteous and think they know the exact path to salvation, and anyone who doesn't follow their exact path is going to hell. It really causes them to be blinded to the facts and really misconstrue what Catholicism really is and what it really teaches.
"I do not pray to a dead person, but to Jesus. Jesus told us to ask in prayer IN HIS NAME.
"
And the Catholic Bible has more in it as well. The Protestants artfully removed some things.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.