EDITORIAL FAREWELL, JOHN PAUL II POPE'S LEGACY TRANSCENDS FAITH, CULTURE AND NATIONALITY.IN the final day or two before Pope John Paul Pope John Paul is the name of two Popes of the Roman Catholic Church:
The world's third-longest pontificate and the life of a truly extraordinary man were coming to an end. That the pope's death would capture the attention of a busy world is testament not only to the power and uniqueness of the papacy, but also to the character and the presence of the most recent man to hold it. In a media age replete with charismatic politicians, spectacular athletes and beautiful movie stars, John Paul II John Paul II, 1920–2005, pope (1978–2005), a Pole (b. Wadowice) named Karol Józef Wojtyła; successor of John Paul I. He was the first non-Italian pope elected since the Dutch Adrian VI (1522–23) and the first Polish and Slavic pope. was a different kind of celebrity, one of the most visible people of his generation. He earned his fame through a generosity of spirit, through a commitment of heart. Catholics and non-Catholics, fans and critics alike, could all agree that this was a man motivated not by the earthly desires of power and money, but out of a dutiful sense of fidelity to a higher calling. And for that, he earned wide admiration. On his tours of more than 100 nations across the globe, crowds lined up by the thousands just to catch a glimpse Verb 1. catch a glimpse - see something for a brief time catch sight, get a look see - perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight; "You have to be a good observer to see all the details"; "Can you see the bird in that tree?"; "He is blind--he of this Polish priest. Those crowds would very often include massive contingents of young people, who somehow felt a special connection to the pope despite his obvious age and infirmity Flaw, defect, or weakness. In a legal sense, the term infirmity is used to mean any imperfection that renders a particular transaction void or incomplete. For example, if a deed drawn up to transfer ownership of land contains an erroneous description of it, an . Who could not be impressed when he bravely survived an attempt on his life? Or when he met with and forgave his would-be assassin, demonstrating the ceaseless and selfless sort of mercy his faith demands? Who could not but marvel at his life in the Polish underground, both as priest and artist, living under the oppressive heel of Nazi and communist reign? Who could forget his courageous testimony against communism, giving crucial comfort and support to the brave, peaceful revolutionaries behind the Iron Curtain For the Iron Maiden video by the same name, see . Behind the Iron Curtain is a concert recorded by Nico for "Pandora's Music Box '85" at De Doelen Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal (Great Hall), in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on October 9, 1985. who would ultimately topple the Soviet Empire? And who could overlook his tremendous contribution to world peace? Through his commitment to ecumenism ecumenism Movement toward unity or cooperation among the Christian churches. The first major step in the direction of ecumenism was the International Missionary Conference of 1910, a gathering of Protestants. and interfaith dialogue, John Paul II helped to break down so many of the religious conflicts that have divided the world. He helped to mend relations with the Orthodox, and reached out to Jews, Muslims and members of other religions. He also was able to hold together his own church, riven rive v. rived, riv·en also rived, riv·ing, rives v.tr. 1. To rend or tear apart. 2. To break into pieces, as by a blow; cleave or split asunder. 3. along many of the same left-right divisions that plague so much of society. No one could easily stick a ``liberal'' or ``conservative'' tag to this pope who opposed abortion, capital punishment and the war in Iraq; who called for economic freedom as well as social justice; who upheld the great traditions of the Church while ushering in dramatic changes in the wake of the Second Vatican Council Noun 1. Second Vatican Council - the Vatican Council in 1962-1965 that abandoned the universal Latin liturgy and acknowledged ecumenism and made other reforms Vatican II Vatican Council - each of two councils of the Roman Catholic Church . For the past 26 years, Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP. II, Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan Paweł II) born Karol Józef Wojtyła , a one-time actor, has loomed enormously on the global stage. His tenure extended through the administrations of five U.S. presidents, and outlasted foreign regimes that once seemed permanent. He has been a voice for peace in a violent age, a champion of unity and dialogue in a global culture that stokes division and anger. And now he has moved on. His presence will be missed - not just by Catholics, and even among those who disagreed with him. An extraordinary person has left our world. In his place remains an enduring legacy and tremendous shoes for his successor to fill. Pope John Paul II, requiescat req·ui·es·cat n. A prayer for the repose of the souls of the dead. [Latin, third person sing. present subjunctive of requi in pace. |
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