What Pope John Paul did was to carry out during his papacy, the opening words which he spoke, when he first appeared on the balcony of St. Peter.i.e, “Do not be afraid”
Yes. I remember that day very well. I’ve never yet figured out what exactly he was talking about.
What he did is to point out and lead people to the correct conclusion that so long as they believe in, and have trust in Jesus, there is nothing to fear in this world, as it is merely a place of pilgrimage.
How did he point this out with the necessity of belonging to the Catholic Church? Your description sounds like the same things the Rev. Billy Graham has said for decades.
What he did was to capture the youth, in a way never before accomplished, and made them proud to proclaim and to live their faith, in a world which gives nothing but messages of hedonism.
But unfortunately, he didn’t help shape their faith correctly. Just look at John Vennari’s DVD’s (parts are on youtube) showing the lack of teaching that children been the victims of when it comes to showing respect for God’s House.
He has born the weight of a troubled Church when so many were leaving, including priest, nuns and religious.
In 1978 he had the opportunity to engage in a major restoration. He chose not to do that.
I for one, believe that the quality of what we now have surpasses the collective quality of what we had before.
I don’t know. I’ve seen young bishops who don’t even twitch a knee to the tabernacle. Many priests I know simply don’t believe in the faith in a clear and simple way. Many deny articles of faith. They believe in Karl Rahner more than Christ.
(admitted there are notable exceptions) He has borne the weight of being blamed for problems which had long existed and which were surfacing during his pontificate, as if he had caused them.
He knew about these things and was warned about them for years. LeFebvre told him numerous times, Fr. Martin told him to his face a number of times. Fr. Martin said, “We have covered his eyes with papers and photos. We have filled his ears with taped recordings. We have given him first class reports and he has done nothing. NOTHING!”
Mr. Messori the Italian journalist who published “Crossing the Threshold of Hope” pressed him on questions about the crisis in the Church. He said that John Paul II pounded the table and told him there is no crisis.
He, whether many believe it or not, was a mystic with a spirituality which was deeper than most of us could even dream of.
Why that deep mysticism translated into so many scandalous and confusing messages is part of the mystery.
I say all this acknowledging that I am in no way infallible or even close. This is my humble opinion of a man whom I loved from the first day of his pontificate until his death. Time itself will prove which of us is correct.
It’s very possible to love someone and still know they did a bad job at something. A diocesan priest once told me something like, 'Pretending his faults didn’t exist doesn’t do anyone any good."
We can all pray for the repose of his soul, which is what we should be doing right now. But I believe B16 is spending his whole pontificate cleaning up a mess left behind and it will be B16’s successors who will have to continue that task.
A line worthy of Saint Thomas More.