Pope John Paul II :Farewell

[Borderstone]

At 9:37pm in Rome (12:37pm AZ time)today,Saturday,Pope John Paul passed on in his apartment home at age 84.

I didn't follow his life or travels very much but I know he was different than all the Popes that had come before. Before he arrived in 1979,I wonder,aside from Catholics,how many people knew there was such a religious office? Certainly not I.

What he single handedly did was make himself open to people,instead of being above them. He did so many great things in his 26 years in the church that the next man will have big shoes to fill indeed.

I'm not Catholic myself but one doesn't have to be to recognize his contibutions. There are things some disagreed with him on but it did not diminish his relating to the people.

Rest In Blessed Peace.

[charlene]

his greatest legacy I think is that of promoting peace around the world and his advocay for children and the sick of the world. not being catholic (or of any religious persuasion) i found him to be a very spiritual person in many areas above and beyond the teachings of catholicism. he seemed like a very nice man.
Peace to him and may the next Pope follow John Pauls teachings of peace.

[The Rez]

Neither am I Catholic, so I don't share the binding w/ him that Catholic's possess.

But, an acquaintence of mine (as opposed to friend,) asked me, "Just tell me what did this guy do to be called Great?"

My response: Reasonable, intelligent people can debate the deeds w/o rancor.

In my heart, he inspired people. So did Mother Theresa. So did my father, though perhaps he only inspired me.

Deeds? Important. Inspiration? More than tongue can tell. From Calcutta to the Vatican, by way of Balboa.

From my heart, I figure The Pope, Mother Theresa and my dad have heard the most important words:

Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Enter into the joy of the Lord."

It's not station, prominence, or honor of men that brings forth the Lord's welcome, but the matters of the heart.

I figure the Lord welcomed and embraced the man Karol as much as the man Elmer (dad.)

In lovingkindness,

The Rez

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It was a Beautiful Rainbow
A Beautiful Time in my Life
A Thing to Share
A Time to Care
To Be Alive

[Restless]

He battled Communism.

That's all you need to know, to know he was a great man.

[Scott Mac]

Originally posted by Restless:
He battled Communism.

That's all you need to know, to know he was a great man.

Right On Restless! Right On.

[SilverHeels]

John Paul 11 was a warm, caring and extremely spiritual person. I am Catholic so, of course, he was very special to me and I am saddened by his death although happy for his release from suffering. Restless, you are right. He did indeed battle communism and before that he fought the nazis. IMO he was an inspiration to us all. He will be a very hard act to follow.

[Sundreme]

Even though I'm Jewish, I could still appreciate the goodness and decency that Pope John Paul II personfied.
He reached out to the Jewish people with gestures of reconciliation in a way that no Pope had ever done before.
I remember that one of his first, perhaps his very first acts as Pope was one that gave me a sense of what a genuinely thoughtful person he was. The previous Pontiff, John Paul the first, had died only 33 days after his ordination, not long enough to distinguish himself as previous Popes had. When Karol Wojtyla was elected to the position, he could have taken the name of one who had been lauded for great and glorified deeds, but instead, he called himself John Paul II, in order that he might honor his recently deceased predecessor and allow his name to live on. I can recall thinking, or rather feeling that this was a very magnanimous, kindhearted gesture. I was only 11 years old at the time, but I understood then, and I remember it still.