EDITORIAL; THE POPE'S PLEA.

POPE John Paul II's sweeping apology for past errors and sins of the church and his call to move forward was a bold and positive move that should be applauded by people of all faiths around the world.

The unprecedented appeal for forgiveness and plea to work together to find common ground has profound symbolic meaning at the dawn of a new millennium and a new age.

And his message was as simple as it was historic: ``Recognizing the deviations of the past serves to reawaken our consciences to the compromises of the present.''

That message is one people everywhere should consider and take to heart.

Either we can live in a world that broods over past sins, slights, insults and mistakes, or we all can recognize and learn from our past and redouble our efforts to never repeat those mistakes.

It is a hard message to comprehend and even harder to accept for some. Already the pope's apology has drawn criticism from the Simon Wiesenthal Center for its failure to mention specific instances of past sins, such as the Nazi Holocaust.

Certainly the Holocaust was a dark moment in history, one that should not be forgotten or allowed to ever happen again.

But there is a lot that was reprehensible in human history. And the inability to forgive and move on today still has tragic consequences in places like Northern Ireland, Bosnia, the Middle East, Chechnya, and the list goes on.

Owning up to our weaknesses and our mistakes takes tremendous courage. But the power of forgiveness can move mountains and forever change the course of history.

It is hard to imagine a world in which Protestants and Catholics live peacefully and in harmony in Northern Ireland. And yet that is exactly the implied message of seeking forgiveness that the pope is urging the world to consider.

Searching for common ground and compromise, striving for the greater good while respecting the individual, can heal the heart and lead to a happier life, something that, oddly, seems to have eluded many in a time of unparalleled riches.

Pope John Paul II has extended a message of healing and hope and reconciliation with people of all faiths. Wouldn't it be wonderful if enemies of all colors and persuasions sued for peace?