Thoughts on the Passing of Pope John Paul II

As everyone knows by now, Pope John Paul II passed away in his residence at the Vatican on Saturday, and his funeral is scheduled for this Friday. Pope John Paul II was elected Pope when I was around 12 years old, so for most of my formative years, he has been the voice and the symbol of Catholicism for me. While I do confess that I have some concerns with the workings and doctrines of the Catholic Church, I must say that I have admired and respected their leader for many years.

Pope John Paul II seemed to speak for all Christianity through his words and through his actions, and on retrospect, he appeared to do more to foster good ecumenical relations with Protestants than any other Pope in recent history. The majority of his speeches and his talks appealed to me and appeared to share my own concerns in regards to religiousity and false piety in the church and a general lack of holiness or obedience among the followers of Christ. Additionally, he remained very concerned with the downward spiral of our culture and our morals, and was the voice of sanity in a Europe that is rapidly becoming even more and more secular. His ultimate legacy as the leader of the Catholic Church will not be known for several years, but his successor has some mighty big shoes to fill.

So, during this time of mourning and grieving over the passing of a great spiritual leader, I would like to express my condolences to my Catholic brothers and sisters and let them know that I am praying for them and their church in this time.