ON THEIR MINDS CATHOLICS PRAY FOR JOHN PAUL II.

Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer

On an Easter Sunday, Catholics in the Southland said they prayed for Pope John Paul II and admired his legacy, as he was unable to celebrate Mass for the first time since his papacy began in 1978.

The pope made a sign of the cross as tens of thousands watched in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on Sunday, but he was unable to speak. The 84-year-old pontiff, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, underwent surgery Feb. 24 to insert a tube in his throat to help him breathe.

The pope has been slowed by health problems in recent years.

``It's a natural process, and it's unfortunate that he's unable to participate in (Mass),'' Chris McNally, 39, of Lancaster said as he left services Sunday at San Fernando Mission. ``But we have to say we're fortunate to have him as a man of peace, and he will not be forgotten.''

Constance Ollivier, 48, of Winnetka said she was among a crowd of worshippers who saw the pope celebrate Mass in Lourdes, France, on Aug. 15. ``You could feel the crowd surging and trying to give him strength to continue,'' she said.

``We're praying for him. I think that's what a lot of Catholics are doing is we are with him with our prayers, and we know he's with us,'' said Ollivier, who works as an occupational therapist.

Meanwhile, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Sunday, Cardinal Roger Mahony delivered an Easter homily to thousands of worshippers. The cardinal said the church ``continues to experience many difficulties and conflicts,'' but he urged worshippers to have faith and not be afraid. In Agua Dulce, several churches held a re-enactment of Jesus Christ's resurrection in a sunrise service at Vasquez Rocks.

And thousands attended Easter Sunday services at Shepherd of the Hills church in Porter Ranch. To accommodate the large crowd, the evangelical church held services in a big tent in the parking lot and had a televised display of the services in the main sanctuary for any worshippers unable to find seats in the tent.

Mike Ballew, 34, of Sun Valley, who attended the service with friends, said for him Easter was not about chocolate eggs and bunnies.

``Any of the secular trappings, that's not for us,'' Ballew said, adding that the story of Christ's resurrection from the dead is more important to him than Christmas.

For the second year in a row, the Hollywood Bowl did not host a sunrise Easter service. The bowl had held the popular service since 1912, but it was empty Sunday because of an ongoing project to build an amphitheater.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Alex Dobuzinskis, [phone]

alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Josh Seibert, in the role of Christ, speaks to the children in a sunrise service held at Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce on Sunday. The event was staged by four churches.

(2) Josh Seibert as Christ hangs from the cross during the sunrise service at Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce. Churches sponsoring the event included the Agua Dulce Foursquare Church, the Family Community Church, the Acton Faith Bible Church and the Shepherd of the Hills.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer