:: Mindrella's Life ::

:: Saturday, April 02, 2005 ::

And the World Mourns

Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, more commonly known to the world as Pope John Paul II finally found his way home and, more importantly, peace.

I had meant to publish a post venting about my roommate, what I've had to put up with the past 8 months and how I keep allowing myself to be continually suckered into giving her "just one more chance," but somehow, after hearing the news this morning, that post seems insignificant and petty.

Now I'm not a Catholic so my recollection of other popes is pretty much nonexistent. I vaguely remember his becoming pope being a big deal because he wasn't Italian. The first non-Italian in 450 years. A shocking thing back then, or so I was led to believe by the very Italian grandmother of one of my closests friends. According to her the world was now going to end. I do know that during the years of his Papacy, more than just Catholics respected and admired him, myself included.

While I am continually at odds with his teachings and, quite frankly, don't believe one person should have so much sway in a person's life, I still admired the man who embraced his beliefs wholeheartedly and did not waiver, even in the face of adversity. A man who attended an underground seminary during the Nazi occupation of his homeland and who continued to spread the word of God during the communism regime that followed. His fight against this same communism after the war. A man who was not afraid to show his frailities to his public. Appearing weak and obviously in pain during Palm Sunday and Easter mass. This same man who was not afraid to let people see him in the hospital, recovering from his assassination attempt in 1981. Something no Pope had ever done, or so we were told. Organizing World Youth Day and getting the youth of the world more involved in religion. Meeting with Jewish rabbis in Jeruselum.

I'm sure he wasn't perfect. No one is. But who am I to judge. That's not my job. This is just my tribute and memories of a man and the legacy he left behind.

So the Throne of Saint Peter is once again empty.

Goodbye Pope John Paul II - may you rest in peace.

:: Melinda 4:06 PM [+]