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April 09, 2005
Farewell to a great Christian
As the late Pope John Paul II was laid to rest, we, the watching world, saw an all too brief glimpse of the harmony that can be achieved when differences are laid aside. Not only was the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion present and prominent, so, too, were religious leaders from all denominations and faiths, and the secular rulers of a wide range of nations, some of them from widely different political philosophies.
Since his death there has emerged a picture of a man of deep spirituality and principle, an old fashioned man in many ways, and certainly a child of his background and times. The Times obituary brought tears to my eyes as I considered all he has done and achieved - often in the face of massive opposition from within and without the church he has led for the last 28 years. Yes, we can criticise him for many things, not least perhaps for his refusal to endorse birth control or "safe" sex, yet, how could he endorse these without being accused by those who now criticise him, of "abandoning Christian moral teaching"? Perhaps his successor will moderate the churches stance on these; that remains to be seen.
Another memory which will remain with me is the sight of the leader of "Outrage", the militant "Gay" group, leading what can only be considered a deeply offensive "protest" celebration outside Westminster Cathedral during the requiem mass for the Pope. He seemed to be actually inciting the crowd to attack him - a silly and provocative action, from a rather nasty little man at a time when most would have prefered to simply reflect on the many positive aspects of this papacy, and there is much more that is positive than there is on the negative scales unless you are so blinkered that you refuse to see anything other than your own tiny agenda.
Equally encouraging was the participation and welcome accorded Archbishop Rowan of Canterbury, with the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Cormack Murphy-O'Connor and he sharing the celebration of a Requiem in Rome. We must not forget that it was John Paul who, more than any previous Pope, has encouraged and welcomed dialogue between the Churches, and we should, in his memory, continue to open that door as we continue.
Now he has been laid to rest, joining the remains of a long line of Bishops of Rome and St Peter himself beneath the great Basilica which dominates the Vatican. His shadow and his legacy will, I think, continue to influence the Vatican for some considerable time to come. It is to be hoped that we will all be the long-term beneficiaries of this great Christian leader.
May he rest in Peace.
Posted by The Gray Monk at April 9, 2005 10:34 AM