|
Reflections on Pope John Paul II
April 8, 2005 -
Reflections on Pope John Paul II
By Senator Rick Santorum
The world watched as millions visited Vatican City, Rome to pay their respects to Pope John Paul II. The Pope’s funeral may very well have been the most widely attended event in the last decade, a testament to the Pope’s impact on the lives of his followers, but to the world as well. This man, Karol Wojtyla, affected the lives of so many, and his words will continue to shape the Church’s teaching on life and faith for many years to come.
I also had the privilege to pay my respects to Pope John Paul II by attending his funeral with several other members of the United States Congress. I believe that it was important for the United States to send a delegation to the Pope’s funeral, because the Pope was not just a religious leader, but he was a head of state. This Pope deserves the adulation and respect of the President and the United States Congress.
Pope John Paul II had a dramatic impact on many levels, including on the political scene in the western world. He understood the evil of the aetheistic dogma of the Communist Party—something he knew so well from his childhood in Poland. He also believed that we are all deserving of freedom from tyranny and was able to speak that truth in a way that pierced the Iron Curtain. Surely, were it not for the Pope’s courage in the face of evil the timeless march towards human freedom would have been dramatically slowed.
The Pope’s mark on society and the Catholic Church did not end there. The Pope was a holy man and theologian whose prolific writings examined all areas of Church teaching and the great moral issues of our age. As a tireless defender of the sanctity of human life, Pope John Paul II spread peace and hope to people all over the world. As a great communicator for freedom and human dignity, he urged the world to break free from the culture of death that surrounds us and to uphold a culture of life.
He was the most traveled Pope ever, arguably seen live by more people than any person in history. He reached out to people of all faiths, most notably Jews and Muslims, and was especially beloved by young people.
I had the privilege to experience the Pope’s compassion for children during a visit to Rome in 1999. During that visit, my family and I were privileged to participate in Mass celebrated by the Pope in his private chapel. Each time the Pope stepped down to kneel before the altar, his face brightened and he would smile at one of my children. He looked and smiled at each of my children throughout the course of the mass, and hugged and kissed each one of them after mass. On that day, his noticeable love and passion for others touched my life and the life of my children.
Being in the company of Pope John Paul II is an experience that I will hold deep in my heart and will never forget. Pope John Paul II was an inspiration to all of us, a leader to the more than 1,200 Pennsylvania parishes, and a holy man who touched millions of lives.
###
|
|
