REMEMBERING JOHN PAUL II

As the process for his beatification continues and new books appear about the late great John Paul II, it is only right to open a space devoted to him.

Ratzigirl has reproduced in the main forum an article from this week's issue of FAMIGLIA CRISTIANA by Dr. Renato Buzzonetti, who was John Paul's personal physician, based on his recently released book, "Lasciatemi andare" ("Let me go", published by Libreria San Paolo). Here is a translation -
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The last days of John Paul II a year ago have since become part of history, our history. In those days, Papa Wojtyla wrote the most devastating pages of that “encyclical of pain” with which he conquered the hearts of people around the world. And it is to this “sorrowful mystery” lived and personified by Karol Wojtyla that the book “Lasciatemi andare” (Let me go, San Paolo, 2005) is dedicated. The 124-page book is the story told by someone who was the closest witness to the last days of the Pope – his personal physician, Renato Buzzonetti. Here is his recollection of those days:

THE POPE’S LAST HOURS
By Renato Buzzonetti

On Sunday, March 13, 2005, the Pope returned to the Vatican from the Gemelli Polyclinic at about 18:40. As soon as he reached the Papal apartments, he went to the chapel to join the chanting of Lamentations in Polish, to commemorate the Passion of the Lord.

Since February, there had been an efficient system of nursing shifts in the Papal apartments. This had been the practice even in previous years, during critical phases in the Pope’s health and after every surgery. My staff and I took turns, night and day, to monitor him closely. In some cases, this lasted for weeks. This task also involved the permanent medical service of Vatican City.

But the difficult conditions of the Pope’s health in the final days required the urgent activation of a more complex system. This was assured by a multi-disciplinary team composed of 10 doctors specializing in emergency medicine, cardiology, infections, ear-nose-throat, internal medicine, radiology and clinical pathology, assisted by 4 professional nurses under my direction.

Following pontifical tradition and the practices of the Vatican health services, all medical personel belonged to prestigious hospitals and two university faculties in Rome. All of us, like humble Cyreneans, sought to help the aged Pope, our Bishop, to bear his Cross up to the end. Modern medical equipment and instruments, all that was needed, were available and in use.

In the days following his return from the Gemelli, the gradual recovery of his general health was slow, made more difficult because even swallowing became an effort, he could hardly speak, and he was showing nutritional deficiencies and an obvious general weakness.

On Sunday, March 20, and Wednesday, March 23, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study, silent, limiting himself to giving his benediction with a simple gesture of the right hand.

During Holy Week, the Pope concelebrated the rites of the Paschal Triduum from his chapel, and joined the Via Crucis at the Colosseum through a long and painful television link.

On March 27, Easter Sunday, the Pope stood for almost 13 minutes at his window open to the Piazza down below packed with the faithful who awaited his Easter message. He had in his hands the text of that message which was read in an emotion-laden voice by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, from the top of the steps leading to St. Peter’s Basilica.

But first, with admirable intentions, the Pope tried to read the text himself, and for a moment, it seemed as if his attempt would succeed. But it was in vain, and almost with a moan, he whispered, “I don’t have a voice,” then silently, with his right hand, he traced a large Sign of the Cross for the city and for the world – it would be his last Urbi et Orbi benediction.

Providence made the last days of John Paul II’s life coincide with the mystery of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord.

The Monday after Easter, the Monday of the Angel, the Pope did not appear at his window.

But on Wednesday, March 30, he showed himself again, and without saying a word, he blessed the crowd which awaited him at St. Peter’s Square. It was the last public station of his personal Via Crucis.

The same day, it was announced that he was now being fed through a nasogastric tube because eating through the mouth had become impossible.

On Thursday, March 31, shortly after 11:00 a.m., the Holy Father, who had gone to his private chapel to celebrate Mass, had a devastating attack of shivers, followed by a sudden fever reaching 39.6 degrees Centigrade. With this came a very serious septic shock with cardio-circulatory collapse, resulting from urinary tract infection. All the appropriate therapeutic remedies and cardio-respiratory aids were employed.

In answer to the explicit question of Mons. Dsiwisz, the Pope clearly made clear he wanted to stay in his room [instead of returning to the hospital], where he was assured, in any case, of uninterrupted and qualified specialist care.

In the late afternoon, Mass was said at the foot of his bed. He concelebrated it with closed eyes, but at the moment of Consecration, he lifted his right arm twice, for the bread and the wine. He also struck his breast at the recitation of the Agnus Dei.

Cardinal Maria Jaworski administered the Unction for the Sick. At 19:17, the Pope received Communion. After the Mass ended, his secretaries and then the household nuns kissed his hand; he called each one by name and added, “For the last time.” Then the doctors and the nurses also came near, very moved. I held his hand firmly and said, “Holiness, we love you and we are near you with all our hearts.”

Later, the Holy Father asked to celebrate a “Eucharistic hour” of meditation and prayer, ending with hymns by the nuns.

Friday, April 1, at 6 a.m., the Pope, conscious and serene, put on the Papal stole and his pectoral cross, to concelebrate the Mass.

Around 7:15, with extreme concentration, he followed the meditations on the 14 Stations of the Cross, and made the Sign of the Cross for each station.

He then joined the reading of the Tierces and listened to readings from the Scriptures by Fr. Tadeusz Styczen, one of his disciples.

By this time, his clinical condition had become extremely serious, characterized by the alarming compromise of blood and metabolic parameters, indicating a worsening insufficiency of the cardiocirculatory, respiratory and renal systems.

But the patient, who could still whisper a few syllables with great difficulty, showed silent and intense participation in the continuous prayers offered by those around him.

On April 2, at 7:30 in the morning, Mass was celebrated in his presence, although by this time he was starting to show intermittent loss of consciousness. In the late morning, there was a sudden elevation of temperature. Around 15:30, in a very weak voice and in mumbled words, he said, “Let me go to the Lord."

On their part, the doctors saw that the end was imminent and that any new and aggressive therapeutic intervention would be futile.

Shortly before 19:00, the Holy Father went into coma. The monitors documented the progressive loss of vital functions. According to Polish custom, only a small candle lit the shadows of the room where the Pope lay dying.

At 20:00, Mons. Dsiwisz, with Cardinal Jaworski, Mons. Stanislaw Rylko, and Mons. Miecyslaw Mokrzycki, started to celebrate the Mass for the feast of Divine Mercy, at the foot of the Pope’s bed. The household nuns, some priests and friends, the doctors and the nurses stood around the altar. Polish religious songs accompanied the Mass, and were joined to the songs sung down below on St. Peter’s Square by a multitude of faithful who were gathered in prayer.

At 21:37, the Holy Father passed away. Those present intoned the Te Deum in front of the now inanimate body. The hymn of praise and thanksgiving dissolved into the voices of prayer from the faithful below which came up through the open window into the Pope’s bedroom where the lights had been turned on.

The death, certified by myself, was ascertained by a 20-minute continuous electrocardiogram taken in accordance with Vatican rules.

John Paul II’s final wish was fulfilled.

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It was impossible to read this account and translate it, then read it again, without reliving those intense days of sorrow all over, and in my case, all the never-before-felt emotions I lived through.

But through it all, I now have the memory, as well, of the felicitous words that Cardinal Ratzinger said in his funeral homily, "I am sure he is now looking down at us with a smile, blessing us from a window of the House of the Lord." It is the image I want to keep in my mind. John Paul II, watch over us, and especially, watch over him, your successor.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 19/03/2006 23.15]

Again, from the main forum, an item in the Italian press on an important step in the ongoing beatification process. It is substantially what the French press has reported, according to items posted by Beatrice and Sylvie. Here is a translation.
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She works in a hospital clinic run by a French diocese. In her religious community, she is responsible for novices although she is relatively young.

This is all that is publicly known about the French nun who is believed to have been miraculously cured in October 2005 of Parkinson’s disease - the same illness that afflicted Karol Wojtyla’s final years – after praying to the late John Paul II.

Fr. Slowomir Oder, the Polish priest who is the chief (formal) advocate for the beatification of the late Pope, was in France last week to take the nun’s direct testimony. Not even the place is identified.

The nun was to relate all the details of her story so that the bishop of her diocese could subsequently authorize a formal inquiry into the presumed miracle. The findings will be part of the documentation required for the beatification process.

Verification that the nun has been completely healed, in a maner not explainable by current science, would provide the single confirmed miracle happening after the death of the miracle-worker that the beatification process requires.

Meanwhile, it was announced in Cracow, which was Wojtyla’s archdiocese, that the closing ceremony for the rogatorial process (in that diocese) towards beatification will be held on April 1. Fr. Oder confirmed this in a radio interview with TeleRadio Padre Pio of the Capuchin brothers in Italy.

The diocesan inquest in Rome, Oder said, “is still hearing testimonies” and has a “long way to go, because there is also a substantial quantity of text [everything ever written by Karol Wojtyla] that must be reviewed.”

“At the moment,” he added, “ it would be too risky to make any predictions “out of thin air” about the course of the beatification process.

---

At 20:00, Mons. Dsiwisz, with Cardinal Jaworski, Mons. Stanislaw Rylko, and Mons. Miecyslaw Mokrzycki, started to celebrate the Mass for the feast of Divine Mercy, at the foot of the Pope’s bed.

---

Blessed 'Mietek', who was there to the end! I have always been intrigued that Benedict chose to keep him on, as his other private secretary, who along with Giorgio, eats his meals with the Pope.

ROME, MARCH 19, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The cause for beatification and canonization of Pope John Paul II now has an official voice: a monthly publication called Totus Tuus.

The publication will offer documentation, analysis and information on the process that could lead the Polish Pope to the altars.

The name chosen, Totus Tuus, "All Yours," refers to John Paul II's motto, with which he entrusted his life to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The first issue will be distributed free of charge, and can be requested via the Web site of the Diocese of Rome: [URL=www.vicariatusurbis.org]www.vicariatusurbis.org

Twenty-five thousand copies have already been requested, according to the figure published two days ago by the Diocese of Rome, which oversees the cause.

For now, Totus Tuus will be published in English, Italian, Spanish and Polish. There are plans for editions in French, Russian and Chinese.

From the Indian Catholic (of all places)
March 23, 2006

Poles prepare for first anniversary of JP II’s death

Krakow, Mar. 22, 2006 (CNA) - Catholics across Poland are preparing to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II with public processions, liturgical celebrations and reflections on recent statements by Pope Benedict XVI.

On the morning of April 2, the Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, will celebrate Mass at the Marian Shrine of Lagiewniki. That night, Pope Benedict XVI will speak to young people in Poland via a live satellite hookup.

Several bonfires will be lit on strategic mountaintops, and in John Paul II’s own town of Wadowice, some 20,000 are expected to gather to pray in front of the home where he was born.

Cardinal Jozef Glemp of Warsaw will also celebrate a special Mass at the J. Pilsudski Square.

At the Marian Shrine of Jasna Gora in Czestochowa, a special requiem entitled, “In Honor of Pope John Paul II,” will be performed by Italian composer Giovanni Veneri.

Thousands of young people are also expected to gather under the window of the archbishop’s residence in Krakow, from which John Paul addressed them on various occasions.

ROME, March 28 (CNA) - Father Slawomir Oder, the Vatican official overseeing the cause for the canonization of Pope John Paul II, announced this week that he has received reports of another possible miracle attributed to the late Pontiff, this time in the United States.

During an interview with the Italian radio network RAI, Father Oder said the alleged miracle was the healing of a man suffering from an incurable liver infection. The priest who had been visiting the sick man communicated news of the alleged healing to Father Oder.

"So far the incident has not yet been proven, and we cannot officially call it a 'miracle' until we reach the end of the conf! irmation process," he explained.

The Diocese of Rome officially announced the cause of beatification of John Paul II on June 28, 2005.

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 28, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, Pope John Paul II's longtime secretary, wished to celebrate one of his first Masses as cardinal at the Polish Pontiff's tomb in the Vatican Grottoes.

The cardinal assured the faithful Monday that the deceased Pope "continues to serve the Church."

In a brief homily, when concelebrating Mass with several cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests in the presence of numerous faithful, Cardinal Dziwisz, the archbishop of Krakow, said that "the 'cause' of Jesus of Nazareth, of the Son of God, continues."

"One of the great witnesses of this 'cause' of Jesus was the Servant of God John Paul II," the 66-year-old cardinal added. "A year ago we buried his mortal remains in the earth, precisely a few steps from here.

"However, we are acutely aware that he continues to guide us with his word, he continues to serve the Church and does not cease to confirm us in the faith."

That same day the new cardinal returned to Poland, and publicly gave thanks for "having been included as archbishop of Krakow, unworthy successor of St. Stanislaw, bishop and martyr, in the College of Cardinals."

For American TV viewers, there will be a 2 hour TV special on CNN hosted by Delia Gallagher this coming weekend about the last days of Pope John Paul II for the one year anniversary of his death.

Here's the CNN link and a preview article from IndianTelevision.com about the program's dates and times that will be broadcasted and repeated:

www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/presents/

www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k6/mar/mar366.htm

"Lolek's Torch" to Mark Anniversary of His Death

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 29, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Polish athletes are taking a torch lit from a candle near Pope John Paul II's tomb to his native land on the occasion of the first anniversary of his death.

The athletes, including military men and disabled persons, attended today's general audience with Benedict XVI and 40,000 people in St. Peter's Square.

"Lolek's torch," a reference to a nickname of Karol Wojtyla used by relatives and friends, was lit Tuesday from the candle next to the Polish Pope's tomb beneath the main level of St. Peter's Basilica.

The athletes will go to cities that were symbolic for John Paul II's life, such as Assisi, the shrines of Loreto and Czestochowa, and his birthplace, Wadowice.

The flame is scheduled to arrive in Krakow on April 2, where it will be received by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, who was the Pope's longtime secretary, and by thousands of pilgrims gathered in the cathedral. That will occur at the start of a prayer vigil which will culminate at 9:37 p.m., the time when John Paul II died.

The delegation will cover some 505 kilometers (313 miles) -- 225 kilometers in Italy and 280 in Poland. The rest of the trip will be by plane or bus.

In each place where the torch is taken, testimonies and reflections on John Paul II will be recorded in a "Golden Book."

"Lolek's torch" is an initiative approved by Monsignor Slawomir Oder, postulator of John Paul II's cause of beatification and canonization.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 30/03/2006 15.30]

The Profound Legacy of Pope John Paul II

By Rocco Palmo
The Ligurian

Santo! Santo! Santo!” That chant, voiced by the millions gathered from around the world in St. Peter’s Square last April 8, served as the curtain call for one of the greatest runs the Catholic Church has known since the days when Jesus walked the earth. In acclaiming Pope John Paul II worthy of the honors of the altar and therefore already a saint, the unprecedented mass of humanity that came to bid him farewell returned to the Church’s ancient tradition of canonization for the pope who had become its greatest saint-maker. That almost-democratic exercise was perhaps the final demonstration of how, even a year after his death, the figure of Karol Wojtyla, the 264th bishop of Rome, remains a sign of contradiction.

The Catholic Church has witnessed long pontificates before, and at twenty-six years, five months, and two weeks, John Paul II’s pastorate of the universal Church was still shorter than the nineteenth-century reign of Blessed Pius IX (1846–78) and, according to tradition, the thirty-five-year tenure of Saint Peter, the first occupant of what evolved into the papacy. But neither Peter nor Pius IX waded through the rough waters of geopolitical conflict and ecclesiastical turmoil that marked John Paul II’s life and times on the Chair of Peter. Nor were the demands and visibility of the office in previous times what they became in the era of the Polish Pope.

Still, even the longest of pontificates are but a flicker in the history of the Church, which now extends into its third millennium. While living memory will carry forward John Paul II’s legacy in the coming decades, the long eye of history must eventually distill it into a handful of highlights. As an example, the lengthy reign of Pius IX is primarily remembered for but three things: his 1854 affirmation of the dogma of Mary’s Immaculate Conception; his convocation of the First Vatican Council, which declared the infallibility of the pope when speaking on matters of faith and morals as definitive Church teaching; and the 1870 seizure of the Papal States by the newly founded Kingdom of Italy. The latter ended the medieval status of the popes as temporal rulers and began the fifty-nine-year self-imposed captivity of Pius IX and his successors as “prisoners of the Vatican.”

Even standing alone, the secular accomplishments of John Paul II’s global stewardship were seismic: his role in bringing about the fall of the Iron Curtain; his aid to those fighting oppressive regimes; and in tandem with his vision of a “new springtime” for the Church, a new sense of empowerment among Catholics. This last accomplishment has brought about political sea changes in the United States, in Latin America, and throughout Europe.

Yet even when the two spheres have been joined in the activity of a pope, the Church has always seen itself as an entity that is distinct and independent from the world outside. As the Roman mindset goes, while the world turns minute by minute, “the Church moves in centuries.”

Looking back over John Paul II’s quarter-century pontificate, however, it is still in that context of the “sign of contradiction” (the theme of the 1976 retreat Cardinal Wojtyla preached for Pope Paul VI, establishing the unknown Polish mystic as a dark-horse contender to one day succeed the embattled, demoralized diplomat-pope) that the era can best be viewed. His was a pontificate of reconciliation that contributed to internal divisions in the Catholic world. Those years gave rise to a stunning number of dynamic lay-led apostolates at the same time that the dividing line between the laity and the ordained was reaffirmed. He was an uncompromising, doctrinally pure figure whose most loyal demographic was a young and increasingly independent generation and a staunch conservative who appointed progressive-leaning prelates (such as Cardinals Roger Mahony and Joseph Bernardin in the United States) to positions of major visibility and importance.

With something for everyone, the legacy of John Paul II is distinctively catholic in the “universal” sense of the word and Catholic in the faith sense, as he witnessed and gave voice to the Church’s theology with crystal clarity, even in places where he knew it would not receive the warmest of receptions. But above all else, the pontificate of John Paul II will be remembered as the perfect storm of the Church’s engagement with the world through the means of mass media. The marriage of a technological revolution, which brought the world closer together, and a magnetic former actor, poet, and playwright at the head of the oldest institution on earth signaled a new frontier for what has been called the papalization of the Catholic orbit. That term has been used to describe the distinctive imprint of the figure of the Pope, his preferences and personality, on the global Church’s daily life in ways never before possible (nor, according to his critics, theologically sound).

For instance, eight centuries after tradition says the rosary was revealed to Saint Dominic, John Paul II tinkered with the rosary, adding the five luminous mysteries in 2003 to the time-honored Marian prayer. The devotional and mystical heritage of his beloved Polish Catholicism was brought into the life of the wider Church, most importantly in his staunch support for the message of Divine Mercy as given to Saint Faustina Kowalska, whose cause for canonization he championed in Kraków. (The approval of Divine Mercy for the universal Church and John Paul II’s eventual insistence that its feast be made a liturgical option for use on the Second Sunday of Easter actually reversed rulings of the 1950s and ’60s by the Vatican, which looked upon Faustina and her diaries with great suspicion.) Reminiscent of the clerical quip that “no one breaks canon law like a pope,” while John Paul II didn’t break the law, he did rewrite it, publishing a new Code of Canon Law for the Latin (Roman) Rite in January 1983. And the new Catechism of the Catholic Church, issued by his decree in October 1992, was the first such text given to the worldwide Church since 1566.

Before his election in October 1978, Cardinal Wojtyla of Kraków was not the image central casting would have had in mind when picking a pope who would look the part. The preceding 455 years were replete with refined figures who were universally Italian and had to some degree or another been creatures of the Roman Curia, the Church’s central administration. However, in the wake of the beloved but short-lived John XXIII (whom John Paul II beatified alongside Pius IX in 2001), the brilliant but unsure Paul VI (who was known as “Hamlet” long before his 1963 election), and John Paul I (the smiling outsider who was stunningly taken after only thirty-three days), the second conclave in as many months sensed that the papacy was facing an identity crisis.

Just as in the old Latin proverb “Ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia” (“Where Peter is, there is the Church”), the specter of an identity crisis also hung over the Church itself, thirteen years removed from the dramatic movement of the Second Vatican Council. Warring schools of thought battled over Vatican II’s decrees on liturgical reform, Christian unity, and Catholicism’s role in the wider world, threatening to tear the worldwide communion to pieces. A strong voice was needed to chart the course for an authoritative interpretation of the council on a global level and restore a sense of clarity, identity, and order to a people unsure of itself that had, in many places, descended into chaos.

At his first public appearance, the new Pope—at fifty-eight, the youngest pontiff since his long-lived predecessor Pius IX—waved the blessing book aside and addressed the faithful in what he told the Romans was “our Italian language” as he banged emphatically on the stone railing of the central balcony of St. Peter’s. At that moment it was clear that, in the best way possible, the electors (and by extension, the Church) were getting more than even they had bargained for.

Within four months of his election, John Paul II set the tone of what was to come with his first encyclical letter, Redeemer of Humankind (Redemptor Hominis). From this prophetic document we can trace the entire path of his ministry as the Church’s universal pastor (his preferred title as opposed to the pre-conciliar “sovereign pontiff”). It was the first major text of a steady torrent of encyclicals (fourteen in all), apostolic constitutions, exhortations, and literally tens of thousands of addresses, homilies, and letters, for which an archbishop eventually had to be brought in to serve as his speechwriter.

The volume and density of these documents are so great that in an interview with Polish Television marking the twenty-seventh anniversary of John Paul II’s election, Pope Benedict XVI said: “My personal mission is not to issue many new documents, but to ensure that his documents are assimilated, because they are a rich treasure, they are the authentic interpretation of Vatican II. We know that the Pope was a man of the Council, that he internalized the spirit and the word of the Council. Through these writings he helps us understand what the Council wanted and what it didn’t. This helps us to be the Church of our times and of the future.”

However wise John Paul II’s words, they were not the active ingredient in the magic of his pontificate. That quality belonged to his fervent ministry and ability of presence, of emotion, of communication not by dialogue but in the universal language of the visual.

John Paul II’s spirituality was apparent in his facial expressions, in his motions, and in his physical activities—his vigorous skiing, swimming, and mountain climbing—well into his papacy. Photos of the “action man” pope hurtling down the slopes made him seem immortal yet at the same time more human than any of his predecessors. Even the 1981 attempt on his life served only to increase the almost superhuman legend that surrounded him to the very end. Especially in the latter years of his pontificate, the expressions of prayer that seemed to draw him into another world, all without leaving his chair, became more pronounced and were an ever greater affirmation of his mission, which he once described to a group of youth simply by saying, “I have come to bring you to Christ and to call you to pray.”

For all his writing and all his words, however, what will be remembered most are moments like when he swung a hockey stick in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1999; began a Mass in Anchorage, Alaska, by exiting a teepee in 1987; and kissed the ground upon arriving in each country for the first time. One of the most-mentioned favorites among those who traveled with him through the years was when John Paul II jumped off a four-foot stage and, to the fury of his security detail, ran across a Los Angeles, California, arena to embrace Tony Melendez, a musician born with no arms who sang and played his six-string guitar for the Pope with his bare feet.

Before John Paul II, popes didn’t act like this. Those who tried were quickly reined in by the inner circles who supervised them. In unapologetically breaking the mold, Karol Wojtyla redefined the office, giving it a greater relevance and credibility than it had ever enjoyed. But the hale and hearty enthusiasm of the 1980s was simply preparation for his most eloquent wordless message—the suffering he chose to bear for more than a decade in the sight of the world, even hours before he was recalled to “the Father’s house.”

After Pope Paul VI laid aside the tiara, the Renaissance symbol of papal power, in 1964—a renunciation followed by his successors—a faction in the Church feared that by shedding the bejeweled trappings of secular power, the papacy would be lessened in the human imagination and, as a result, the office’s importance would be diluted. In one of his final meetings with bishops, John Paul II told a group of American prelates in September 2004 that “The Bishop is above all a witness, a teacher and model of holiness” and that good ministry “will not be expressed by external signs…but above all by [an] apostolic life and witness.”

As always, the words were significant, but they only underscored the great lesson and inheritance of Pope John Paul II: how effective the gospel message can be when it isn’t just spoken but lived to the hilt.


Pat Rocco Palmo has written about the Vatican for the San Franciso Chronicle, The New York Daily News, Beliefnet, and Religious News Service. He is the author of "Whispers in the Loggia" (whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com) and a contributor on American affairs to The Tablet

Last days of John Paul II were serene, says former secretary

Krakow, Mar. 30, 2006 (CNA) - The archbishop of Krakow and former personal secretary of Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, said Wednesday in Rome that the Polish pope was serene and alert during his last days.

Cardinal Dziwisz, who was at the Pope’s side during his final illness, said his last days “were not as tragic as the media claims they were” because the Pope “was aware that his time was drawing near and he was fully prepared for death.”

According to the cardinal, Pope John Paul II “was totally conscious, he heard the prayers of the multitudes gathered under his window and with this calmness and tranquility he helped those around him maintain or recover their spiritual peace.”

In an interview with the Italian radio network RAI, the cardinal also said that John Paul II “said goodbye one by one to his closest associates, such as the Secretary of State or Cardinal Ratzinger, who was dean of the College of Cardinals, but also to the ordinary people who cared for his living quarters…it was something very emotional and moving,” Cardinal Dziwisz said in conclusion.

Today is the anniversary of John Paul’s last public appearance. He greeted pilgrims from his study window on March 30th of 2005.

Here is a translation of the words said by the Holy Father at the end of the movie screening at the Vatican yesterday:

Lord Cardinals,
dear brothers in the Episcopate and Presbiterate,
distinguished ladies and gentlemen!

While the images of this interesting re-telling of thhe Ponticate of John Paul II remain fresh in our minds and hearts, I address my cordial thoughts to those who contributed to making this film, with the significant title of “Karol, a Pope who remained a man”. Tonight we relived the emotions we felt in May last year, when not too long after the departure of our beloved Pope, we attended in this same hall the screening of Part I of this film.

I am thankful to the director, Giacomo Battiato, and his co-workers, who have reconstructed for us, with knowledgeable mastery, the central moments in the apostolic ministry of my beloved predecessor. Likewise, my heartfelt thoughts to the lead actor Piotr Adamczyk, who brought him to life in the role, and to his fellow actors; and my sincere appreciation to producer Pietro Valsecchi and the officers of the production houses Raidue and Mediaset.

This second part of the film concludes the story of our beloved Pope’s earthly life. We heard again the initial appeal of his Pontificate which has re-echoed down the years so many times: “Open the doors to Christ! Do not be afraid!”

The images showed us a Pope immersed in God and therefore always sensitive to man’s expectations. The film has made us relive in memory his apostolic voyages to every part of the world, his encounters with so many people – the leaders of the world as well as simple citizens, illustrious persons as well as unknown ones. Among all, a special mention must be made of the embrace he shared with Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who was linked to John Paul II by an intimate spiritual harmony.

Petrified, as though we were there ourselves, we heard the shots from that tragic assassination attempt in St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981.

From the whole film, what emerges is the figure of a tireless prophet of hope and peace who roamed the paths of the earth to communicate the Gospel to all men. It has recalled to us his vibrant words condemning the oppression of totalitarian regimes, homicidal violence and war, as well as words full of consolation and hope to show his closeness to the victims of conflicts and dramatic attacks on life, such as those on the Twin Towers of New York; words of courage to denounce a consumer society and a hedonist culture intent on achieving merely material wellbeing which cannot satisfy the profound expectations of the human heart.

These are the feelings that this evening has spontaneously aroused and that I wished to share with you, dear brothers and sisters, in reviewing with the help of this film, the phases of the unforgettable John Paul II’s pontificate.

May the beloved Pope accompany us from on high and obtain for us from the Lord the same grace that he had of being faithful to our mission. To all present and tho those who are dear to you, I impart my blessing.



Here is the AP account of the movie screening:

VATICAN CITY, March 31, 2006 (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI watched a film Thursday about the pontificate of his predecessor, remembering the Polish-born pope as "the unforgettable John Paul II."

The made-for-TV movie "Karol, A Pope Who Remained A Man," was shown to Benedict in a Vatican auditorium. Benedict said he was left "petrified, as if we were present" when watching the reconstruction of the 1981 attempt on John Paul's life by a Turkish gunman in St. Peter's Square.

Benedict said the screening - three days before the first anniversary of his predecessor's death - brought to life "the phases of the pontificate of the unforgettable John Paul II" and reminded him of John Paul's "vibrant words to condemn the oppression of totalitarian regimes, murderous violence and war."

The film tells the story of John Paul's pontificate from his election in 1978, through his globe-trotting ministry, to the protracted suffering of his last days in 2005.

The 30-year-old Polish actor Piotr Adamczyk, who played John Paul, told reporters the role was particularly demanding "because it was not about preparation, but faith."

The movie follows "Karol, A Man Who Became Pope," the story of John Paul's earlier days, which aired on Italian television a year ago. The new film will be shown in Italy in May.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 31/03/2006 15.45]

The following teaser story was written in connection with the CNN special on John Paul II referred to by Imladris in the earlier post.

Personal stories from those closest
to the beloved pope
By Delia Gallagher

VATICAN CITY (CNN) -- "At Christmas time, at night, when he couldn't walk anymore, we'd bring him to the window to peek at the square below. To see the Nativity scene, and the crowds, without being seen himself."

This image of a pope sneaking a glimpse through the curtains of the papal apartment is one of my favorites. It was told to me by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, as part of our two-hour "CNN Presents" special, "The Last Days of Pope John Paul II."

Dziwisz was the personal secretary and a close friend of Pope John Paul II for nearly 40 years. He told me the story last month, when I interviewed him in Krakow, Poland, in the same office where his friend and mentor once worked as Cardinal of Krakow himself. Dziwisz is a man who in the last days of the pope's life took care of him 24 hours a day.

"My life became his life," Dziwisz told me. "I didn't have a private life. His schedule, his work became my work, my schedule."

When I covered the Vatican, I used to see Dziwisz when I went up to the papal apartments to visit the pope. He was always smiling and welcoming, but he never spoke on the record. It was a first for me to see him opening up about his friend, and to reveal so many personal memories about the last days of the pope.

We also had rare access to the 10th floor of Rome's Gemelli Hospital, the place where Pope John Paul II was taken when he was seriously ill. At that time, none of the doctors would speak about the pope or his condition, but we were able to talk with Dr. Rodolfo Prioietti, the head of the pope's medical team. It was fascinating to hear him talk about what it's like to have the pope as a patient.

"During these critical times," he said, "You have to forget that this is the Holy Father. We have to check our emotions ... it's our job."

We also heard amazing stories from several cardinals who took part in the conclave, the secret ceremony that elects the pope. I remember last year, when I was covering the event in Rome, I was among a few journalists who were given a tour of the Sistine Chapel before the conclave, to see how it had been set up. They showed us the famous stove, which sends out smoke, signaling the election of a new pope. I thought then, "I wonder how the cardinals will handle this?" As you will hear in our special, they had a little bit of a problem.

One year after his death, over 15,000 visitors still visit Pope John Paul II's tomb every day. Many leave behind letters and photos, all of which end up at the office of Monsignor Slawomir Oder, the man who has the job of proving Pope John Paul II was a saint. He must take everything into account: those who loved the pope and those who are critical of him. He must also sift through all those letters, and hundreds of others he receives at his office, looking for miracles.

His job is to find two events that cannot be proven scientifically and can be declared miracles if the pope is to be named a saint.

"What doesn't count as a miracle?" he asked me. "Things like conversions, freedom from vices, peace in the family, getting a new job, passing an exam, finding a girlfriend or boyfriend. These are blessings, but for our purposes, they're not miracles."

I was surprised to learn he works full-time as a lawyer, handling marriage annulments. He receives no pay for conducting the sainthood investigation, even though his job is vital to the ultimate outcome of the process. "Right now, I'd have to say, this is definitely the adventure of a lifetime," he told me.

All of us watched the events in Rome unfold last year, as Pope John Paul II lived the final days of his nearly 27-year pontificate. This special has allowed us to watch the events from the other side of the papal windows. I hope you enjoy these personal stories from those who knew and loved Pope John Paul II.

From ZENIT, a translation of an excerpt of the contribution of Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz -- the longtime secretary to Pope John Paul II -- to the book "Lasciatemi Andare" (Let Me Go), the book by Dr. Renato Buzzonetti released in Italian this week.
----------------------------------------------------------------
"He Did Not Fear Death"

John Paul II's profound union with God and his participation in the Paschal Mystery were revealed in all their fullness in the last days of his life. His body was ever weaker, but he remained strong in spirit and "loved to the end" (John 13:1). For the first time, the Pope was unable to preside over the rites of the Easter triduum.

"I am with you spiritually in the Colosseum," he wrote on Good Friday in the message addressed to all those taking part in the Way of the Cross, and added: "Adoration of the Cross invites us to a commitment from which we cannot dissociate ourselves: the mission that Saint Paul expressed with the words 'in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church' (Colossians 1:24). I also offer my sufferings so that God's plan will be fulfilled and his word spread among peoples."

He was seated before the altar of his private chapel; he followed the celebration on a television screen and prayed. At the 14th Station, he took the crucifix in his hands and brought it close to his face marked by suffering, as if, like Peter, he wished to say: "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you" (John 21:17).

The love of Christ, stronger than death, comforted him in spirit and he would have liked to express it on Easter Sunday, when he appeared at midday to impart the blessing "urbi et orbi." Because of the commotion and suffering, however, he was unable to say the words; he only made the sign of the cross with his hand and responded with a gesture to the faithful's greetings.

This gesture of powerlessness, of suffering and of paternal love, as well as the moving silence of the Successor of Peter, left an indelible mark in the hearts of men throughout the world.

The Holy Father was also profoundly disconcerted by this event. After moving away from the window, he said: "Perhaps it would be better that I die, if I cannot fulfill the mission entrusted to me," and immediately added: "Thy will be done ... 'Totus tuus.'" In his life he never wished for anything else.

He did not fear death. During his whole life he had Christ as his guide and knew that he was going to him. During the celebrations of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 he wrote in his testament: "I pray that he will call me when he himself wishes. 'If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord ... we are the Lord's' (Romans 14:8)." He had always been profoundly aware that man, at the end of the earthly pilgrimage, is not condemned to fall into darkness, into an existential void or into an abyss of nothingness, but is called to the encounter with the best of Fathers, who lovingly embraces his own son in his arms, to give him the fullness of life in the Most Holy Trinity.

Knowing that for him the time was drawing close to pass into eternity, in agreement with the doctors he decided not to go to the hospital, but to remain in the Vatican, where he was assured of the indispensable medical care. He wished to suffer and to die in his home, staying close to the tomb of the Apostle Peter.

The last day of his life -- Saturday, April 2 -- he took leave of his closest aides from the Roman Curia. He took part in the prayer that continued at his bedside, despite his high fever and extreme weakness. In the afternoon, at a certain moment, he said: "Let me go to the Father's house."

Sylvie has done another historic service for our forum by putting together images from the final days of John-Paul II's earhtly existence.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 02/04/2006 19.15]

One of the thousands who stood in line starting
early morning today to visit the tomb of John-Paul II.
Photo: La Repubblica

In anticipation of the reports today summarizing the first anniversary commemoration of John Paul II's death, here is an article written for today's edition of Corriere della Sera by Vittorio Messori, the only writer who has co-authored an interview-book with two Popes (first "The Ratzinger Report", and then, "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" with John-Paul II ,who asked his collaboration after seeing Messori's work in "The Ratzinger Report").

Although he is replying specifically to an article written against him by another Vatican writer because of some statements he had made about John Paul II in his magazine cover story last week on the first year of Benedict's Papacy, Messori is also restating here a topic that he has written about before - warning against building a personality cult around any Pope.

Here is a translation of his article today -
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Reflections on Karol and Joseph -
Popes, not Celebrities
In today's society, there is a danger of
paying attention to the person rather than
to the Papacy
By Vittorio Messori

“In effect, there has been a turning away from the cult of personality (around Pope John Paul II), even if a cult was not intended. Ratzinger is trying to be as minimally invasive as he can. He does not want the Church to be equated with the man who leads it.”

It is surprising that criticism directed at me for the above statement (made in an interview for Corriere della Sera magazine, with translation posted in this thread earlier) comes from Catholics. Which confirms that even in the Church there is a risk of obscuring what the Germans call the Catholic Weltanschauung (to which they dedicate university professorial chairs!), the Catholic view of the world and history.

It is therefore worth re-emphasizing forcefully that the believer is truly interested not in “the Pope” but in “the Papacy.” What matters is not – and should not be – the name, the personality, the personal history of wheover is called to carry out Peter’s mission to minister, instruct and confirm his flock, the disciples of Christ. This is an unchangeable function, a task that goes on to the end of time, until the Resurrected One returns in glory, putting an end as well to the “Church militant” and to the need for a Vicar in a world that will have been ternally transfigured.

Carl Schmitt has observed that the Catholic Church is unique in that its institutions have successfully synthesized the three possible systems of government – monarchy, oligarchy and demcoracy. Seventeen centuries before Napoleon promised his soldiers that “there is a marshal’s baton in each of your knapsacks,” the Church was elevating to its summit any believer from whatever station in life or level of culture. Peter’s first successor, Linus, was a lberated slave, and many Popes have come from humble peasant or worker’s families. Therefore the base for eligible popes is radically democratic, but not the way he is elected.

The oligarchy in this case is the College of Cardinals, the Church Senate called to make the choice, but in the perspective of the faith, only as the instrument through which the Spirit of God manifests who is most fit to be Pastor of the flock. Not the Cardinals, who are simply the mediators, but Christ himself chooses his Vicar.

Therefore, in this respect, the Pope has nothing in common with the secular leaders of the “world” who get to the top through their own personal virtues (or vices) and where a personality that stands out, for good or ill, is a decisive element, decisive not only for the climb to power but even in its administration, beginning with propaganda.

Pius IX, thanks to the invention of photography, was the first Pope whose features became known with exactitude to Catholics worldwide. Up till then, Popes were “recognized” by face only by the elite who had access to portraits, engravings and drawings. Very often, even among the illiterate masses, not even the Pope’s name was known, let alone his face. But to the Catholic then, it wasn’t important personally who the Pope was and what his human charatcteristics may be: it sufficed that they knew that far away, in Rome, there was a guide, a teacher, a custodian of the faith and its orthodoxy, who also guaranteed the legitimacy of their local bishops and priests.

Even today, for the ordinary Catholic, the series of Popes before the 20th century are a rather indistinct mass, of which very few can name names and their coresponding dates of Papacy, and probably no one can identify any distinguishing event in any individual Papacy of that time. Any such distinction would nevertheless be meaningless: by definition, Christ’s “Vicar” is the custodian of a doctrinal patrimony which must be administered faithfully and which is subject neither to change nor to additions. A “creative” Pope, an “original” Pope, would be a contradition in terms, and in any case, unacceptable because unworthy of the Pope’s role as depositum fidei.

Now, “church politics” is different for each Supreme Pontiff, because the Church is immersed in an ever-changing world. But this “politics” is basically not very significant compared to what really matters, namely, the conquest of eternal salvation in obedience to a doctrine preached and guaranteed by Christ’s representative on earth.

And it is precisely from this Catholic perspective that one feels a certain alarm. In the present-day society of images and spectacle, we risk a drift towards “homogenizing” the Pope with other world leaders if not, in fact, with show business celebrities. In other words, we risk upturning the priorities by paying more attention to the personality of the Pope than to the Papacy itself as a religious function – making of Christ’s Vicar on earth a “personality” whose traits, tastes, personal affairs, even his look and hobbies become subjects of popular interest, to which infinite magazine covers as well as photo and television coverages are dedicated.

And it was precisely the extraordinary uniqueness of the man Karol Wojtyla, his unique personal gifts, the fascination of his biography even before he became Pope, and his own manifest saintliness that were – and continue to be – an irresistible attraction for the media system.

Obviously, and I said so in the interview, John Paul II was in no way “culpable”. The risk lay in his very greatness, before which I would be first to bow in respect. With humility as well as firmness, I do not need lessons in how to venerate, as I have always done, that privileged soul who is surely destined to join the altar of saints.

But it was the force of his charisma that provoked media over-exposure, which was gratifying to many Catholics who perhaps do not stop to consider the dynamics of faith. The faith of which for a quarter-century, Joseph Ratzinger was the rigorous custodian. Aware of this problem, which is by no means minor, he has tried in the first year of his pontificate to neutralize it, by choosing a “low profile”, by opting for discretion and moderation, so that he himself does not become a media victim.

Certainly not to contrast himself with his predecessor, who was so loved and venerated, but rather to avoid the risk which threatened (and still threatens) John Paul II, whose only “fault” was that he had a personality so powerful and gifted that popular culture transformed him into a “celebrity” who became the subject of an inexhaustible fund of anecdotes. A role which ill befits a man who preferred to call himself “servant of the servants of God.”
---------------------------------------------------------------

And are we Benaddicts (many of whom were also Wojtyladdicts in his time) - who by definition are 'cultists' of this Pope's person as a human being and as Pope - guilty of losing sight of priorities? That is something which I am sure each of us stops to ask ourselves periodically. Personally, I say Messori's fear cannot and does not apply to anyone who begins and ends the day with prayer, namely, a conversation with God, during which, among other things, one prays to Him to watch over and guide his Vicar on earth!

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 03/04/2006 5.00]

Emma in the main forum posted this item, translated here, which considers the media effect from another perspective.
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THE ANNIVERSARY
By Marcello Veneziani

…I thought of something strange, on the surface irreverent and blasphemous, but it's really quite the opposite. I thought that today is the anniversary of Papa Wojtyla’s death, as all the newspapers reminded us yesterday in anticipation. And I also thought that now, we cannot say the usual remark (when someone great passes away): that he has left an unfillable void. Because he has not. Insofar as the Papacy is concerned, there is no such void.

And thank God, I say - even if we are talking here of a giant, an excellent Pope, a charismatic personality who polarized the world’s attention, a man wno was an extraordinary conjunction of history and saintliness, as I wrote this time last year, and which I confirm chapter and verse.

On April 2, 2005, the greatest man of his age passed away and his funeral was an unprecedented event, in terms of participation by both the masses of the faithful as well as the powerful on earth. Such was his personality, the mark he left, his voice, his apostolate, that it seemed impossible to imagine Christianity without him. It seemed the Church was headed for a permanent Sede Vacante after him.

This concerned some in the highest levels of the Church as well as those among the faithful who harbored the not unfounded fear that maybe the Pope may have “personalized” the faith too much, and that a presence who was so imposing over such a long period of time may have eclipsed the institutions of the faith.

His “Papa boys,” his media success, the overpowering media images, himself the medium as the message that may have overshadowed his message of the doctrine, the personal charisma that overturned tradition, the star system employed on him by the culture – all this tended to make him seem irreplaceable.

Some thought to themselves, better they elect Popes who are older, less “showy,” because this Pope, surely without wanting to, risked catalyzing the faithful towards some sort of star-worship, of valuing the figure above the institution.

Even the final wave of acclamation - the chorus of “Santo subito” at his funeral – corresponded more to the impatient dogmas of the global media system than to the solemn and slow rhythms of the Church. It was like a spiritual version of fast food; it confirmed the idea that faith could be reduced to an event and its emotions, religion to a show, and its protagonist to a superstar.

Instead, John Paul accomplished a real miracle: he knew to fade into the background, even to make himself “forgotten”, having left the Church in good hands. Popes pass away; Christ remains. Christianity is not defined by a single witness. It is defined by a host of saints, apostles, exemplary lives, the communion of saints. It is rites, liturgy, communion and community. Per saecula saeculorum.

Ratzinger is definitely a continuation of Wojtyla, in doctrine and in tendency, and even in the tone of voice and a spoken Italian overlaid with the accents of central Europe. Sometimes, one is not aware of the transition. And this is all good. Maybe this one has less theatricality, better intellectual capacity. But his positions are clearly marked out. The German Pope has brought no grey areas, no obfuscation to Christianity.

In effect, Mother Church has assimilated her great Polish son into itself, despite the flood of books and fiction about him… The cult of impersonality has won, in keeping with the Church’s great tradition, although this tradition does not consist of anonymous events but of full-bodied persons of flesh, bone and spirit, each of whom contributes to the Church’s mission through individual achievements.

This does not mean that the Catholic church is winning in the world today, nor that Christianity is prevailing against the challenge of virtual atheism. On the contrary, nihilism and relativism have gobbled up chunks of the West, including its values; the institution of the family is under siege; the fanatics of Islam and our own cynics corrode Christianity.

This bitter look at our times makes me reconsider what I said at first and to consider the implications of Papa Wojtyla’s relative remoteness today, one year since his death. It is good that the Church no longer mourns. But in this “archivization” of John Paul, how much is due to the chronic amnesia of our day, the triumph of forgetfulness and extreme lability, the mosntruous capacity to forget in a society that seems sworn to the god Alzheimer!

It seemed to be the end of the Christian world when John Paul II died last year. And now, to many, his memory seems remote and even faded. On the one hand, we can be glad because although the Popes pass away, faith does not. On the other hand, one is sad that maybe we are incapable of remaining faithful to a memory beyond a certain time. Everything boils down to emotion. And emotions hit us instantaneously, but they can also disappear just as fast, leaving few traces which are then drowned in the busy hubbub of our daily routine.

And now I feel like I do after leaving the movies. It doesn’t seem like the Pope died yesterday, it seems a century ago.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 03/04/2006 5.04]

Vatican City, April 2, 2006 (AsiaNews) – John Paul II “continues to be present in our minds and our hearts; he continues to communicate his love for God and his love for man to us; he continues to stimulate in everyone, especially youth, enthusiasm for good and courage to follow Christ and his teachings”.

This was how Benedict XVI recalled the memory of the Servant of God, John Paul II, one year after his death. He was speaking from the window of his study to a crowd of people packed in St Peter’s Square.

At 9pm, the pope introduced the rosary organized by the Diocese of Rome. He spoke close to 9.37 pm, the same time the Polish pope died last year. More than 60,000 people participated in the prayer and Marian vigil that was alternated with hymns and extracts from the writings of Karol Wojtyla.

All the faithful carried flambeaux, filling St Peter’s square with a sea of light. There were many banners, tapestries and Polish flags, especially from Wadowice, the birthplace of John Paul II. During the vigil, the faithful followed a live transmission of the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) held in the square of the Archbishop’s Curia in Krakow, presided over by Card. Stanislaw Dziwisz, former secretary of Pope Wojtyla.

The pope remained kneeling throughout the rosary, covered in a red mantle; some lamps illuminated his person, visible from the square.

Benedict XVI greeted Cardinal Ruini, the animator of the evening, and Cardinal Dziwisz, together with all the city of Rome “gathered here for this moving moment of reflection and prayer”.

The pope summed up the life of John Paul II in the words “faithfulness” and “dedication”: “Total faithfulness to God and unreserved dedication to his mission as Shepherd of the universal Church.”

Recalling the complete gift of self of Wojtyla even during his long illness, Benedict XVI said the deceased pope’s suffering has borne fruit in the world: “His sickness faced with courage made everyone more aware of human suffering, of every physical and spiritual pain; he gave suffering dignity and value, testifying how man is not worthy because of his efficiency or his appearance but for himself, because he is created and loved by God. Through words and gestures, the much-loved John Paul II never tired of showing the world that if man allows himself to be embraced by God, he is not detracting from the richness of his humanity; if he remains with Him wholeheartedly, he loses nothing. On the contrary, an encounter with Christ makes our life more passionate.”

Putting his finger on the reason why so many people, marked by John Paul II’s witness, still remember him today, Benedict XVI added: “Precisely because he came ever closer to God in prayer, contemplation, love for Truth and Beauty, our beloved pope could accompany each of us on our journey, and talk with authority even to those who are far from the Christian faith.”

At the end, Benedict XVI invited all to receive with decision “the spiritual heritage” that Pope John Paul II left, underlining above all the courage to bear witness and courage for mission: “On the first anniversary of his return to the House of the Father, we are invited this evening to receive once again the spiritual heritage he left us; we are stimulated, among other things, to live a tireless search for the Truth that alone will fulfill our hearts. We are encouraged not to be afraid to follow Christ, to bear to all the news of the Gospel that ferments a more fraternal humanity in solidarity.”

Youth have been left a special “heritage”. The same young people who last year accompanied Wojtyla in his agony with a non-stop vigil in St Peter’s square, and who followed him in many World Youth Days, are called to be disciples of Christ and a sign of new things in the third millennium: “John Paul II helps us from heaven to proceed on our journey, to remain docile disciples of Jesus, to be, as he himself loved to repeat time and again to youth, ‘morning watchmen’ at this start of the third Christian millennium.”

There was a special message in Polish for the faithful gathered in Poland and linked up to Rome. While many white and red flags fluttered in the square, Benedict XVI said: “Let us unite in spirit with the Polish people who have gathered in Krakow, Warsaw and other places for the vigil. The memory of John Paul II is alive in us and the feeling of his spiritual presence is not extinguished. May the memory of the particular love he had for his co-nationals always be for you a light on the way to Christ. “Remain strong in faith”. I give you my heartfelt blessings.”

Before ending with a blessing, Benedict XVI called for the intercession of Mary –“the Mother of the Redeemer, for whom he [John Paul II] always had a tender devotion” – for all.

From Poland, via television link, Card. Dziwisz thanked the pope for his words about Wojtyla. He said that for a year now, all the devotion and affection for John Paul II have been pouring on Benedict XVI, witness to a “great chapter of the Gospel”.

i prayed to JP2 the great yesterday..im sure hes praying for Papa..thank God for JP2's blessed soul!