The Life and Legacy of Pope John Paul II Read online

  At the time of the audience, one American Jewish leader called Waldheim’s visit “morally and politically incomprehensible.” Others used harsher words. A number of Catholics were also bewildered. A demonstration took place outside the gates of the Vatican. One of the protestors was a Yugoslavian priest, Father Ivan Florianc, who said he was sure St. Peter would not have invited Waldheim. He added that he felt anger towards his spiritual leader for sitting down with dictators in Latin America and for receiving Waldheim.

  The canonization of Father Maximilian Kolbe and the beatification of Pius IX were also disturbing to many Jews. Kolbe, who was especially revered by John Paul, was remembered by the Jewish community as having been far from a saint. While no one disputed Father Kolbe’s final selfless act of sacrificing his own life to save the life of another Pole in Auschwitz, he had been known before the war for publishing a damaging anti-Semitic Catholic newspaper.

  Pope Pius IX, for his part, had been at the heart of an international scandal known as the Mortara Affair, which began in 1858. A six-year-old Jewish boy named Edgardo Mortara was secretly baptized by a Christian housekeeper (or at least, so she claimed). He was then essentially kidnapped from his parents by the papal police under orders of the Holy Office that were authorized by Pope Pius. The boy was reared by Pius and educated in Catholic seminaries. He was never returned to his parents, despite appeals from international governments, and became a priest. At the time, Pius complained that “the dogs” in Rome were making too much noise. Among those protesting Pius’ elevation were descendants of the Mortara family.

  Another source of irritation for Jews was the canonization of Sister Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein), who had died at Auschwitz for being Jewish. She was not similarly reviled, but canonizing her smacked of co-opting (Catholicizing) the Jewish experience of the Holocaust, especially in light of the convent at Auschwitz. It should be remembered that Jews have long experienced this sense of misappropriation due to Christian interpretations of Hebrew Scriptures that accuse them of not understanding their own sacred texts. The pope, perhaps, saw it differently. In a way, it was as close as he could get as a Catholic to canonizing Jewish suffering. His remarks on the occasion of her canonization said: “From now on, as we celebrate the memory of this new saint from year to year, we must also remember the Shoah (Holocaust).”

  In sum, John Paul’s own Polish background led him to feel a unique closeness to the Jewish people. He did everything he could to further amity between Jews and Catholics, without relinquishing the other points of his ecclesiastical agenda.

  Infirmity and Death

  The first sign of trouble came in 1991 with trembling in some fingers of the left hand. Then, in 1993, the pope fell and dislocated his right shoulder. His personal physician suspected a problem with balance and determined that the cause was Parkinson’s disease, a brain malady that affects mainly the elderly and results in tremors, muscle spasms and rigidity, slowed movement, loss of balance, and other potentially severe symptoms. John Paul maintained a normal schedule for as long as he was able but then had to begin curtailing his activities. As was to be expected, he accepted the condition of his body as God’s will, but he didn’t like having to rely others for his mobility.

  In January 2005, the pope was making his Angelus address but had difficulty speaking. The spasms became worse until by dinner it was difficult for him to breath. He was treated at the Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic and recovered. The problem recurred, however, and on February 23, one of the cardinals eating dinner with the pope became so alarmed that he administered the sacrament of anointing. The next day the pope was brought back to Gemelli, where a tracheotomy was performed. On Easter Sunday, John Paul attempted to deliver his Urbi et Orbi (“to the City [of Rome] and to the World”) benediction but had no voice left. He had to be content with making the sign of the cross and waving to the crowd of pilgrims in the square. On March 30 he again appeared at his window because he wanted to speak to a crowd of 5,000 young people who had come from Milan. Again his voice failed him. Monsignor Dziwisz, who had now been Karol Wojtila’s personal secretary for nearly forty years, had the impression that the pope at that point recognized his time was near and had accepted it.

  The next day, March 31, the pope was in his private chapel celebrating Mass when he became extremely ill and experienced a very high fever. The doctors determined it was Septic shock caused by a urinary tract infection. John Paul’s body was shutting down. In medical terms, he was experiencing cardiovascular collapse. It was now a matter of waiting. There would be no more extraordinary medical measures. John Paul had already made the decision not to return to the hospital. The goal now was to make him comfortable in his room during his final hours. He spent the time remaining to him in prayer and saying goodbye to those close to him.

  John Paul had always maintained the habit of reading Scripture daily for spiritual renewal. Even on his final day, April 2, he asked to hear reading from the Gospel of John. Meanwhile, the crowd had swelled outside in Saint Peter’s Square. They were shouting the pope’s name and crying, “Viva il Papa.” At one point, John Paul whispered to a nun attending him, “Let me go home to the Lord.” Those were his last words. He fell into a coma that evening. Mass was performed in his room, and John Paul was given a few drops of wine as viaticum. The pope breathed his last at 9:37 that night. Those present in the room tearfully sang Te Deum in thanks to God for the life of the man who had just departed.

  Much of the world mourned the passing of this gentle pope. Those who remembered the vigorous, young man he was when first elected, paused to reflect on their own mortality.

  More than three million people flowed to Rome to honor John Paul.

  Legacy

  John Paul’s pontificate lasted nearly twenty-seven years, one of the longest in papal history. During that time he had an unprecedented amount of contact with the public, including Catholics, non-Catholics, and foreign leaders. He made 104 pastoral visits outside Italy, and 146 within. The Vatican estimates that more than 17.6 million pilgrims participated in his regular Wednesday general audiences alone. He made 38 official visits and met with government leaders on 984 different occasions.

  Because of his particular concern for the young, he established World Youth Days, nineteen of which were celebrated during his pontificate. He similarly initiated the World Meetings of Families in 1994. He called into being only the second Marian Year in history, and decreed a Year of the Redemption and Year of the Eucharist in order to promote spiritual renewal. He led the Church into the third millennium through his earlier voice in the Second Vatican Council and by proclaiming as pope a Holy Year Jubilee for the year 2000.

  He organized numerous assemblies of the Synod of Bishops and the College of Cardinals, and created 231 Cardinals, substantially expanding the College of Cardinals and providing greater representation to all parts of the world. He gave the College of Cardinals a greater voice.

  He met with leaders of other Christian Churches in an outreach of ecumenism. He improved relations with the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion. He advanced dialogue with Judaism and Islam, as well as other religions.

  To encourage spiritual growth among his followers, he held 147 beatification ceremonies for 1,338 individuals, and 51 canonization ceremonies naming 482 saints. His enthusiasm for saints was meant to encourage the faithful by providing role models for holiness and reasons for hope.

  He issued many important teachings as pope and wrote five books as a private scholar.

  He worked wholeheartedly for world peace.

  At John Paul’s funeral, the crowds clamored for his sainthood. “Santo subito,” they yelled: “Sainthood now!” Pope Benedict XVI waived the normal five-year waiting period before beginning the cause of beatification and canonization for John Paul II. The cause was officially opened on June 28, 2005. A French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, was miraculously cured of Parkinson's disease after praying for John Paul’s intercession. The r
ite for his beatification followed, fittingly enough, on May 1, 2011. May Day, while ironically a Communist holiday, is devoted in the Catholic calendar to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom John Paul was so devoted.

  Word was released in June 2013 of a second miracle being approved by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The second miracle related to a Costa Rican woman, Floribeth Mora, whose cerebral aneurism was inexplicably cured on May 1, 2011, the day of John Paul's beatification.

  On July 5, Pope Francis approved John Paul for sainthood, saying that Pope John XXIII and John Paul II will be canonized together. The date has not yet been established, although December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception has been suggested. Irrespective of the details, John Paul’s canonization appears imminent.

  From Poland, John Paul’s longtime private secretary, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, rejoiced at the news. “I thank God that I will live to see the elevation to sainthood the person who I served with love to the last beating of his heart,” he stated. Abraham Foxman, as director of the Jewish organization the Anti-Defamation League, received four audiences with Pope John Paul. He spoke for John Paul’s numerous supporters when he said, “For many of us Pope John Paul is already a saint, this just formalizes it.”

  The Pope and the Rosary

  In 2002, before his death, Pope John Paul II wrote an Apostolic Letter entitled The Rosary of the Virgin Mary. He wrote about his love and daily practice of the rosary:

  The Rosary is my favorite prayer. A marvelous prayer! Marvelous in its simplicity and its depth...Against the background of the words Ave Maria the principal events of the life of Jesus Christ pass before the eyes of the soul. They take shape in the complete series of the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries...

  He urged all Catholics to recite the rosary:

  Dear brothers and sisters! A prayer so easy and yet so rich truly deserves to be rediscovered by the Christian community...I look to all of you of every state of life, to you, Christian families, to you, the sick and elderly, and to you, young people: confidently take up the Rosary once again. Rediscover the Rosary in the light of Scripture, in harmony with the liturgy, and in the conduct of your daily lives. May this appeal of mine not go unheard!

  The rosary beads are an important component of the Catholic religion. Rosary beads are prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary.

  The prayers consist of repeated sequences of the Lord's Prayer followed by ten prayings of the Hail Mary and a single praying of “Glory Be to the Father” and is sometimes accompanied by the Fatima Prayer. Each of these sequences is known as a decade. The praying of each decade is accompanied by meditation on one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, which recall the life of Jesus Christ.

  The following is a brief overview of how to pray the rosary:

  First, begin by holding the cross and repeating the “The Sign of the Cross”

  The Sign of the Cross

  In The Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

  Then, “The Apostle’s Creed” is said on the Cross.

  The Apostle's Creed

  I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

  Next, on the single bead just above the cross, pray the Our Father prayer.

  On the single bead just above the cross, pray the “Our Father.” Remember, Rosary prayers are considered Meditative prayers as opposed to personal prayers. In personal prayer the prayer speaks to God. In meditative prayer we allow God to speak to us through his word and his Spirit.

  Our Father

  Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

  The next cluster on the rosary has 3 beads. With this group of beads, the prayer should recite the “Hail Mary.” The prayer should recite 3 Hail Marys while allowing God to speak through his words on the three divine virtues of faith, hope, and love.

  Hail Mary

  Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

  Repeat this three times.

  After the three beads, there is a chain. Hold the bare chain and recite the “Glory be to the Father” prayer.

  Glory be to the Father

  Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

  The next bead is a single bead. Hold this bead in your hand and say the divine mystery of contemplation. For example, if it were a Monday or a Saturday, you would say the first Joyful Mystery, “The Annunciation.”

  The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary (Lk 1:26-38)

  In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

  Then you may prayer the "Our Father" prayer for the second time.

  Our Father

  Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

  This brings you to a set of ten beads on the rosary. You should then pray 10 Hail Marys while contemplating the first mystery. The example of The Annunciation is provided above.

  Hail Mary

  Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

  Repeat this ten times.

  After the 10th Hail Mary you will have completed the first of 5 decades. The next section of the rosary, is a single bead. Repeat the “Glory be to the Father.”

  Glory be to the Father

  Glory Be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

  Next, on the same bead, pray the “O My Jesus.”

  O My Jesus

  O My Jesus, have mercy on us. Forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Take all souls into heaven, especially, those most in need of thy mercy. Amen.

  Then, on the same bead, announce the next or second mystery. F
or example: if it is Monday and your praying the Joyful Mysteries, the second Joyful Mystery is The Visitation.

  The Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-50)

  During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him….”