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To: BigSkyFreeper
Alert, Alert: This news story does not contain the entire testament of the late Pontiff; it only contains about the first 40%.

CNN reported this morning that JPII's testament contained in a 2000 entry a desire to retire from the Petrine ministry. I just read the testament (in Italian), and that view of it is so nuts it's not even wrong. The Pontiff expresses over and over again that he entrusts his life and work into the hands of divine providence, and in the 2000 entry he says:

"Secondo i disegni della Provvidenza mi è stato dato di vivere nel difficile secolo che se ne sta andando nel passato, e ora nell’anno in cui l’età della mia vita giunge agli anni ottanta ('octogesima adveniens'), bisogna domandarsi se non sia il tempo di ripetere con il biblico Simeone 'Nunc dimittis.'"

What the Pontiff says is, now that he has been able to reach 80 yrs of age by means of Divine Providence, perhaps there has come the moment to say, in the words of the Biblical personage Simeon, "Nunc Dimittis" (i.e., "Now let your servant go in peace"). This statement by no means expresses a desire to resign from the Petrine Ministry. It expresses, subtly to be sure, a sense that he has reached a moment in life and history when the Lord may give him his reward for such service.

132 posted on 04/07/2005 10:12:00 AM PDT by Remole
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To: Remole

I know it's not the complete text, the complete text is 15 pages in English, and 5 in Italian. I'm sure you can find the complete Will and Testament on the Vatican website in various readable forms.


190 posted on 04/07/2005 10:39:49 AM PDT by BigSkyFreeper ("Stupidity is also a gift of God, but one mustn't misuse it" - Pope John Paul II)
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