Mourning a leader

Catholics reflect on pope’s legacy.

By: Josh Appelbaum
   Local Catholics quietly reflected on the legacy of Pope John Paul II, saying the impact of the first non-Italian pontiff in 455 years reached far beyond the sphere of the Roman Catholic Church.
   The 84 year-old pope died Saturday, ending the longest pontificate of the 20th century, after a battle with Parkinson’s disease.
   Residents said Pope John Paul II brought the church into the 21st century by reaching out to people of all faiths around the world.
   Frank Brennan Sr. of North Main Street said the pontiff’s origins served well to broaden the appeal of the Roman Catholic Church around the world.
   "When you look at his life, he was like thousands of others," Mr. Brennan said. "He was a laborer who suffered through the dictatorship of the Nazis and the control of Soviets, and emerged from it all."
   Born in Wadowice, Poland in 1920, Karol Wojtyla, the pope’s given name, was appointed as a cardinal under Soviet rule, and was elected pope in 1978.
   Mr. Brennan said the pontiff was successful at establishing positive relationships among people of different faiths and political leanings.
   "I think he made a lot of important gestures to Jewish leaders, especially in his trips to Israel, and established a relationship with the Eastern Orthodox Church, with which the Roman Catholic Church had problems with in the past," Mr. Brennan said.
   Mr. Brennan described the papacy as an office that is constantly in flux. He said that while each pontiff carries on the traditions of his predecessor, the pope always brings his own perspective to the papacy.
   "Pope John XXIII was considered the prime mover and brought a new light to the papacy," Mr. Brennan said. "I think John Paul II was more progressive on certain issues that were considered controversial, and I hope whoever becomes the next pope brings some new thoughts."
   Richard Stannard of North Main Street said Pope John Paul II was one of the best in history, and especially admires his work in the public realm.
   "He was the best pontiff in modern history," Mr. Stannard said. "He spoke well with all manner of statesman, both good and bad leaders of state."
   Mr. Stannard, whose two children both attend Catholic University in Washington, D.C., said the pontiff’s most significant accomplishment was reaching out to people who weren’t Catholic.
   He also said the pope regarded the safety and well being of children throughout the world highly. He said he and his wife, Kathleen, and his children have attended Mass for the pope this week.
   Mr. Stannard said he believes that in time, the pontiff will be canonized as a saint for many of his honorable deeds.
   "It wasn’t just Catholics he spoke to," Mr. Stannard said. "He interacted with all manners of Christendom, as well as Muslims and Jews, and was respected by all. He was a man who forgave and met with the man that tried to kill him."
   Betty Wagner of North Main Street said Pope John Paul II’s legacy and the outpouring of warm sentiments for the pope makes her proud to be a catholic.
   She said she is happy the pontiff upheld long-standing church traditions.
   "I loved his adherence to the realities of the Catholic Church. He tells it like it is," Ms. Wagner said. "He had charisma and wasn’t offensive when he was adamant in his convictions and he didn’t vacillate to political motivations."
   Ms. Wagner said the pontiff was truly globally minded in his adherence to Catholic doctrine, and said he was motivated by his moral conviction.
   She said Americans have criticized the pope for his perceived conservative leanings.
   "Americans aren’t as global-minded as people in other parts of the world," Ms. Wagner said. "It is typical of the way people value rights and freedoms — they aren’t willing to adhere to things they think are moral issues," Ms. Wagner said.
   Ms. Wagner is proud of the public’s response in the wake of the pope’s passing. She said she will observe the pontiff’s funeral today (Friday).
   "I will be very attentive to the event," Ms. Wagner said. "It’s a historic event — I love tradition and adherence to traditions of the past."
   With all of Pope John Paul II’s accomplishments, Ms. Wagner doesn’t envy the pope’s successor.
   "I don’t know what kind of person will cope with what’s ahead," Ms. Wagner said. "But as I look back at history, I really do think each pope — and the conclaves — are guided in an unusual way by the Holy Spirit. I mean, who would’ve expected a Polish pope when (John Paul II) was elected."