Today, as I'm sure we're all aware, marks the first anniversary of JP The Great's death. I was convinced that the world would never know as great a Pope as he was, and I still share that sentiment, but the election of B XVI and the first year of his papacy have done a lot to soothe the huge hole his death left.
I had lived my entire life under his papacy. All of my cousins (I think, except for one, possibly) were born under this papacy. My parents were married with him as Pope. His reign marked (almost) all of the major events of my life. To lose him was indescribable.
But I have loved B XVI and knew, from the moment he was elected, that he would be a good Pope. Who else could best continue JP II's legacy, and leave one of his own. His first encyclical clearly spells out the Church's teaching on so many things, not just love (as one would guess from the title).
He was a saintly man, a wonderful Pope, and I still miss him. He really was like a father to so many of us. But B XVI is doing a great job and I'm glad that the cardinals elected him. I cannot imagine what it would be like to not have him as a Pope.
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3 comments:
I'm always impressed and surprised at how much the Pope means to so many Catholics (I won't say ALL Catholics, but probably most). I mean, to me, he's a very important world leader and has a lot of influence, and I think it's important that a "good" one is picked, but I still have never quite understood the personal relationship that so many Catholics have with him. Maybe it's because we don't really have anything similar.
Anyway. I don't want this to come off the wrong way - I think it's a positive thing, and it just always impresses me.
He is not "JP the Great," at least not until and unless we start talking about "John XXIII the Great".
I agree. JPII's death also affected me, as he was Pope more than half my life.
I also had a post about him
on my blog.
http://theworldimho.blogspot.com/2006/03/remembering-pope-john-paul-ii.html
I am also Roman Catholic, and in my blog I talk about lots of things, but lots of my faith as well.
http://theworldimho.blogspot.com/
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