Pope John Paul II, No Ordinary Pope

The participation of the lay faithful in Diocesan Synods and in local Councils, whether provincial or plenary, is envisioned by the Code of Canon Law [88]. These structures could contribute to Church communion and the mission of the particular Church, both in its own surroundings and in relation to the other particular Churches of the ecclesiastical province or Episcopal Conference. Episcopal Conferences are called to evaluate the most oportune way of developing the consultation and the collaboration of the lay faithful, women and men, at a national or regional level, so that they may consider well the problems they share and manifest better the communion of the whole Church [89].

The ecclesial community, while always having a universal dimension, finds its most immediate and visible expression in the parish. It is there that the Church is seen locally. In a certain sense it is the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters [90]. It is necessary that in light of the faith all rediscover the true meaning of the parish, that is, the place where the very "mystery" of the Church is present and at work, even if at times it is lacking persons and means, even if at other times it might be scattered over vast territories or almost not to be found in crowded and chaotic modern sections of cities.

The parish is not principally a structure, a territory, or a building, but rather, "the family of God, a fellowship afire with a unifying spirit" [91] , "a familial and welcoming home" [92] , the "community of the faithful" [93]. Plainly and simply, the parish is founded on a theological reality, because it is a Eucharistic community [94]. This means that the parish is a community properly suited for celebrating the Eucharist, the living source for its upbuilding and the sacramental bond of its being in full communion with the whole Church.

Such suitableness is rooted in the fact that the parish is a community of faith and an organic community, that is, constituted by the ordained ministers and other Christians, in which the pastor-who represents the diocesan bishop [95] -is the hierarchical bond with the entire particular Church. Since the Church's task in our day is so great its accomplishment cannot be left to the parish alone. For this reason the Code of Canon Law provides for forms of collaboration among parishes in a given territory [96] and recommends to the bishop's care the various groups of the Christian Faithful, even the unbaptized who are not under his ordinary pastoral care [97].

There are many other places and forms of association through which the Church can be present and at work. All are necessary to carry out the word and grace of the Gospel and to correspond to the various circumstances of life in which people find themselves today. In a similar way there exist in the areas of culture, society, education, professions, etc. Nevertheless, in our day the parish still enjoys a new and promising season. At the beginning of his pontificate, Paul VI addressed the Roman clergy in these words: The Synod Fathers for their part have given much attention to the present state of many parishes and have called for a greater effort in their renewal: So that all parishes of this kind may be truly communities of Christians, local ecclesial authorities ought to foster the following: For the renewal of parishes and for a better assurance of their effectiveness in work, various forms of cooperation even on the institutional level ought to be fostered among diverse parishes in the same area.

It is now necessary to look more closely at the communion and participation of the lay faithful in parish life. In this regard all lay men and women are called to give greater attention to a particularly meaningful, stirring and incisive passage from the Council: This is indeed a particularly important affirmation, which evidently must be interpreted in light of the "ecclesiology of communion".

Ministries and charisms, being diverse and complementary, are all necessary for the Church to grow, each in its own way. The lay faithful ought to be ever more convinced of the special meaning that their commitment to the apostolate takes on in their parish. Once again the Council authoritatively places it in relief: The lay faithful should accustom themselves to working in the parish in close union with their priests, bringing to the Church community their own and the world's problems as well as questions concerning human salvation, all of which need to be examined together and solved through general discussion.

As far as possible the lay faithful ought to collaborate in every apostolic and missionary undertaking sponsored by their own ecclesial family" []. The Council's mention of examining and solving pastoral problems "by general discussion" ought to find its adequate and structured development through a more convinced, extensive and decided appreciation for "Parish Pastoral Councils", on which the Synod Fathers have rightly insisted [].

In the present circumstances the lay faithful have the ability to do very much and, therefore, ought to do very much towards the growth of an authentic ecclesial communion in their parishes in order to reawaken missionary zeal towards nonbelievers and believers themselves who have abandoned the faith or grown lax in the Christian life. If indeed, the parish is the Church placed in the neighborhoods of humanity, it lives and is at work through being deeply inserted in human society and intimately bound up with its aspirations and its dramatic events.

Oftentimes the social context, especially in certain countries and environments, is violently shaken by elements of disintegration and de-humanization. The individual is lost and disoriented, but there always remains in the human heart the desire to experience and cultivate caring and personal relationships. The response to such a desire can come from the parish, when, with the lay faithful's participation, it adheres to its fundamental vocation and mission, that is, to be a "place" in the world for the community of believers to gather together as a "sign" and "instrument" of the vocation of all to communion, in a word, to be a house of welcome to all and a place of service to all, or, as Pope John XXIII was fond of saying, to be the "village fountain" to which all would have recourse in their thirst.

The lay faithful together with the clergy and women and men religious, make up the one People of God and the Body of Christ. Being "members" of the Church takes nothing away from the fact that each Christian as an individual is "unique and irrepeatable". On the contrary, this belonging guarantees and fosters the profound sense of that uniqueness and irrepeatability, in so far as these very qualities are the source of variety and richness for the whole Church.

Therefore, God calls the individual in Jesus Christ, each one personally by name.

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In this sense, the Lord's words "You go into my vineyard too", directed to the Church as a whole, come specially addressed to each member individually. Because of each member's unique and irrepeatable character, that is, one's identity and actions as a person, each individual is placed at the service of the growth of the ecclesial community while, at the same time, singularly receiving and sharing in the common richness of all the Church. This is the "Communion of Saints" which we profess in the Creed. The good of all becomes the good of each one and the good of each one becomes the good of all.

Above all, each member of the lay faithful should always be fully aware of being a "member of the Church" yet entrusted with a unique task which cannot be done by another and which is to be fulfilled for the good of all. From this perspective the Council's insistence on the absolute necessity of an apostolate exercised by the individual takes on its full meaning: Regardless of circumstance, all lay persons including those who have no opportunity or possibility for collaboration in associations are called to this type of apostolate and obliged to engage in it.

Such an apostolate is useful at all times and places, but in certain circumstances it is the only one available and feasible" []. In the apostolate exercised by the individual, great riches are waiting to be discovered through an intensification of the missionary effort of each of the lay faithful.

Such an individual form of apostolate can contribute greatly to a more extensive spreading of the Gospel, indeed it can reach as many places as there are daily lives of individual members of the lay faithful. Furthermore, the spread of the gospel will be continual, since a person's life and faith will be one.

Likewise the spread of the gospel will be particularly incisive, because in sharing fully in the unique conditions of the life, work, difficulties and hopes of their sisters and brothers, the lay faithful will be able to reach the hearts of their neighbors, friends, and colleagues, opening them to a full sense of human existence, that is, to communion with God and with all people.

Church communion, already present and at work in the activities of the individual, finds its specific expression in the lay faithful's working together in groups, that is, in activities done with others in the course of their responsible participation in the life and mission of the Church. In recent days the phenomenon of lay people associating among themselves has taken on a character of particular variety and vitality. In some ways lay associations have always been present throughout the Church's history as various confraternities, third orders and sodalities testify even today.

However, in modern times such lay groups have received a special stimulus, resulting in the birth and spread of a multiplicity of group forms: We can speak of a new era of group endeavours of the lay faithful. In fact, "alongside the traditional forming of associations, and at times coming from their very roots, movements and new sodalities have sprouted, with a specific feature and purpose, so great is the richness and the versatility of resources that the Holy Spirit nourishes in the ecclesial community, and so great is the capacity of initiative and the generosity of our lay people" [].

Oftentimes these lay groups show themselves to be very diverse from one another in various aspects, in their external structures, in their procedures and training methods, and in the fields in which they work. However, they all come together in an all-inclusive and profound convergence when viewed from the perspective of their common purpose, that is, the responsible participation of all of them in the Church'smission of carrying forth the Gospel of Christ, the source of hope for humanity and the renewal of society.

The actual formation of groups of the lay faithful for spiritual purposes or for apostolic work comes from various sources and corresponds to different demands. In fact, their formation itself expresses the social nature of the person and for this reason leads to a more extensive and incisive effectiveness in work. In reality, a "cultural" effect can be accomplished through work done not so much by an individual alone but by an individual as "a social being", that is, as a member of a group, of a community, of an association, or of a movement.

Such work is, then, the source and stimulus leading to the transformation of the surroundings and society as well as the fruit and sign of every other transformation in this regard. This is particularly true in the context of a pluralistic and fragmented society-the case in so many parts of the world today-and in light of the problems which have become greatly complex and difficult. On the other hand, in a secularized world, above all, the various group forms of the apostolate can represent for many a precious help for the Christian life in remaining faithful to the demands of the gospel and to the commitment to the Church's mission and the apostolate.

Beyond this, the profound reason that justifies and demands the lay faithful's forming of lay groups comes from a theology based on ecclesiology, as the Second Vatican Council clearly acknowledged in referring to the group apostolate as a "sign of communion and of unity of the Church of Christ" [].

It is a "sign" that must be manifested in relation to "communion" both in the internal and external aspects of the various group forms and in the wider context of the Christian community. As mentioned, this reason based on ecclesiology explains, on one hand, the "right" of lay associations to form, and on the other, the necessity of "criteria" for discerning the authenticity of the forms which such groups take in the Church. First of all, the freedom for lay people in the Church to form such groups is to be acknowledged. Such liberty is a true and proper right that is not derived from any kind of "concession" by authority, but flows from the Sacrament of Baptism, which calls the lay faithful to participate actively in the Church's communion and mission.

In this regard the Council is quite clear: A citation from the recently published Code of Canon Law affirms it as well: It is a question of a freedom that is to be acknowledged and guaranteed by ecclesial authority and always and only to be exercised in Church communion. Consequently, the right of the lay faithful to form groups is essentially in relation to the Church's life of communion and to her mission. It is always from the perspective of the Church's communion and mission, and not in opposition to the freedom to associate, that one understands the necessity of having clear and definite criteria for discerning and recognizing such lay groups, also called "Criteria of Ecclesiality".

The following basic criteria might be helpful in evaluating an association of the lay faithful in the Church:. In this sense whatever association of the lay faithful there might be, it is always called to be more of an instrument leading to holiness in the Church, through fostering and promoting "a more intimate unity between the everyday life of its members and their faith" [].

For this reason every association of the lay faithful must be a forum where the faith is proclaimed as well as taught in its total content. The communion with Pope and Bishop must be expressed in loyal readiness to embrace the doctrinal teachings and pastoral initiatives of both Pope and Bishop. Moreover, Church communion demands both an acknowledgment of a legitimate plurality of forms in the associations of the lay faithful in the Church and at the same time, a willingness to cooperate in working together. From this perspective, every one of the group forms of the lay faithful is asked to have a missionary zeal which will increase their effectiveness as participants in a re-evangelization.

Therefore, associations of the lay faithful must become fruitful outlets for participation and solidarity in bringing about conditions that are more just and loving within society. The fundamental criteria mentioned at this time find their verification in the actual fruits that various group forms show in their organizational life and the works they perform, such as: The Pastors of the Church even if faced with possible and understandable difficulties as a result of such associations and the process of employing new forms, cannot renounce the service provided by their authority, not simply for the well-being of the Church, but also for the well-being of the lay associations themselves.

In this sense they ought to accompany their work of discernment with guidance and, above all, encouragement so that lay associations might grow in Church communion and mission. It is exceedingly opportune that some new associations and movements receive official recognition and explicit approval from competent Church authority to facilitate their growth on both the national and international level. The Council has already spoken in this regard: Certain forms of the lay apostolate are given explicit recognition by the hierarchy, though in different ways.

Because of the demands of the common good of the Church, moreover, ecclesial authority can select and promote in a particular way some of the apostolic associations and projects which have an immediately spiritual purpose, thereby assuming in them a special responsibility" []. Among the various forms of the lay apostolate which have a particular relationship to the hierarchy, the Synod Fathers have singled out various movements and associations of Catholic Action in which "indeed, in this organic and stable form, the lay faithful may freely associate under the movement of the Holy Spirit, in communion with their bishop and priests, so that in a way proper to their vocation and with some special method they might be of service through their faithfulness and good works to promote the growth of the entire Christian community, pastoral activities and infusing every aspect of life with the gospel spirit" [].

The Pontifical Council for the Laity has the task of preparing a list of those associations which have received the official approval of the Holy See, and, at the same time, of drawing up, together with the Pontifical Council for the Union of Christians, the basic conditions on which this approval might be given to ecumenical associations in which there is a majority of Catholics, and determining those cases in which such an approval is not possible [].

All of us, Pastors and lay faithful, have the duty to promote and nourish stronger bonds and mutual esteem, cordiality and collaboration among the various forms of lay associations. Only in this way can the richness of the gifts and charisms that the Lord oflers us bear their fruitful contribution in building the common house: So as to render thanks to God for the great gift of Church communion which is the reflection in time of the eternal and ineffable communion of the love of God, Three in One, we once again consider Jesus' words: The awareness of the gift ought to be accompanied by a strong sense of responsibility for its use: To be responsible for the gift of communion means, first of all, to be committed to overcoming each temptation to division and opposition that works against the Christian life with its responsibility in the apostolate.

The cry of Saint Paul continues to resound as a reproach to those who are "wounding the Body of Christ": No, rather let these words of the apostle sound a persuasive call: Thus the life of Church communion will become a sign for all the world and a compelling force that will lead persons to faith in Christ: In such a way communion leads to mission, and mission itself to communion.

We return to the biblical image of the vine and the branches, which immediately and quite appropriately lends itself to a consideration of fruitfulness and life. Engrafted to the vine and brought to life, the branches are expected to bear fruit: Bearing fruit is an essential demand of life in Christ and life in the Church. The person who does not bear fruit does not remain in communion: Communion with Jesus, which gives rise to the communion of Christians among themselves, is an indispensable condition for bearing fruit: And communion with others is the most magnificent fruit that the branches can give: At this point communion begets communion: In fact, Jesus says to his disciples: Communion and mission are profoundly connected with each other, they interpenetrate and mutually imply each other, to the point that communion represents both the source and the fruit of mission: It is always the one and the same Spirit who calls together and unifies the Church and sends her to preach the Gospel "to the ends of the earth" Acts 1: On her part, the Church knows that the communion received by her as a gift is destined for all people.

Thus the Church feels she owes to each individual and to humanity as a whole the gift received from the Holy Spirit that pours the charity of Jesus Christ into the hearts of believers, as a mystical force for internal cohesion and external growth. The mission of the Church flows from her own nature. Christ has willed it to be so: Such a mission has the purpose of making everyone know and live the "new" communion that the Son of God made man introduced into the history of the world. In this regard, then, the testimony of John the Evangelist defines in an undeniable way the blessed end towards which the entire mission of the Church is directed: In the context of Church mission, then, the Lord entrusts a great part of the responsibility to the lay faithful, in communion with all other members of the People of God.

This fact, fully understood by the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, recurred with renewed clarity and increased vigor in all the works of the Synod: They also know that they themselves were not established by Christ to undertake alone the entire saving mission of the Church towards the world, but they understand that it is their exalted office to be shepherds of the lay faithful and also to recognize the latter's services and charisms that all according to their proper roles may cooperate in this common undertaking with one heart" []. The lay faithful, precisely because they are members of the Church, have the vocation and mission of proclaiming the Gospel: In a very clear and significant passage from the Second Vatican Council we read: Strengthened by their active participation in the liturgical life of their community, they are eager to do their share in apostolic works of that community.

They lead to the Church people who are perhaps far removed from it; they earnestly cooperate in presenting the Word of God, especially by means of catechetical instruction; and offer their special skills to make the care of souls and the administration of the temporal goods of the Church more efficient" []. The entire mission of the Church, then, is concentrated and manifested in evangelization. Through the winding passages of history the Church has made her way under the grace and the command of Jesus Christ: Through evangelization the Church is built up into a community of faith: In fact, the "good news" is directed to stirring a person to a conversion of heart and life and a clinging to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour; to disposing a person to receive Baptism and the Eucharist and to strengthen a person in the prospect and realization of new life according to the Spirit.

Certainly the command of Jesus: Nevertheless, the present situation, not only of the world but also of many parts of the Church, absolutely demands that the word of Christ receive a more ready and generous obedience. Every disciple is personally called by name; no disciple can withhold making a response: Whole countries and nations where religion and the Christian life were formerly flourishing and capable of fostering a viable and working community of faith, are now put to a hard test, and in some cases, are even undergoing a radical transformation, as a result of a constant spreading of an indifference to religion, of secularism and atheism.

This particularly concerns countries and nations of the so-called First World, in which economic well-being and consumerism, even if coexistent with a tragic situation of poverty and misery, inspires and sustains a life lived "as if God did not exist". This indifference to religion and the practice of religion devoid of true meaning in the face of life's very serious problems, are not less worrying and upsetting when compared with declared atheism.

Sometimes the Christian faith as well, while maintaining some of the externals of its tradition and rituals, tends to be separated from those moments of human existence which have the most significance, such as, birth, suffering and death. In such cases, the questions and formidable enigmas posed by these situations, if remaining without responses, expose contemporary people to an inconsolable delusion or to the temptation of eliminating the truly humanizing dimension of life implicit in these problems.

On the other hand, in other regions or nations many vital traditions of piety and popular forms of Christian religion are still conserved; but today this moral and spiritual patrimony runs the risk of being dispersed under the impact of a multiplicity of processes, including secularization and the spread of sects. Only a re-evangelization can assure the growth of a clear and deep faith, and serve to make these traditions a force for authentic freedom.

Without doubt a mending of the Christian fabric of society is urgently needed in all parts of the world. But for this to come about what is needed is to first remake the Christian fabric of the ecclesial community itself present in these countries and nations. At this moment the lay faithful, in virtue of their participation in the prophetic mission of Christ, are fully part of this work of the Church. Their responsibility, in particular, is to testify how the Christian faith constitutes the only fully valid response-consciously perceived and stated by all in varying degrees-to the problems and hopes that life poses to every person and society.

This will be possible if the lay faithful will know how to overcome in themselves the separation of the Gospel from life, to again take up in their daily activities in family, work and society, an integrated approach to life that is fully brought about by the inspiration and strength of the Gospel. To all people of today I once again repeat the impassioned cry with which I began my pastoral ministry: Open, in deed, open wide the doors to Christ!

Open to his saving power the confines of states, and systems political and economic, as well as the vast fields of culture, civilization, and development. Do not be afraid! Christ knows 'what is inside a person'. Today too often people do not know what they carry inside, in the deepest recesses of their soul, in their heart. Too often people are uncertain about a sense of life on earth.

Invaded by doubts they are led into despair. Therefore-with humility and trust I beg and implore you-allow Christ to speak to the person in you. Only he has the words of life, yes, eternal life" []. Opening wide the doors to Christ, accepting him into humanity itself poses absolutely no threat to persons, indeed it is the only road to take to arrive at the total truth and the exalted value of the human individual. This vital synthesis will be achieved when the lay faithful know how to put the gospel and their daily duties of life into a most shining and convincing testimony, where, not fear but the loving pursuit of Christ and adherence to him will be the factors determining how a person is to live and grow, and these will lead to new ways of living more in conformity with human dignity.

Humanity is loved by God! This very simple yet profound proclamation is owed to humanity by the Church. Each Christian's words and life must make this proclamation resound: This re-evangelization is directed not only to individual persons but also to entire portions of populations in the variety of their situations, surroundings and cultures.

Its purpose is the formation of mature ecclesial communities, in which the faith might radiate and fulfill the basic meaning of adherence to the person of Christ and his Gospel, of an encounter and sacramental communion with him, and of an existence lived in charity and in service. The lay faithful have their part to fulfill in the formation of these ecclesial communities, not only through an active and responsible participation in the life of the community, in other words, through a testimony that only they can give, but also through a missionary zeal and activity towards the many people who still do not believe and who no longer live the faith received at Baptism.

In the case of coming generations, the lay faithful must offer the very valuable contribution, more necessary than ever, of a systematic work in catechesis. The Synod Fathers have gratefully taken note of the work of catechists, acknowledging that they "have a task that carries great importance in animating ecclesial communities" []. It goes without saying that Christian parents are the primary and irreplaceable catechists of their children, a task for which they are given the grace by the Sacrament of Matrimony.

At the same time, however, we all ought to be aware of the "rights" that each baptized person has to being instructed, educated and supported in the faith and the Christian life. While pointing out and experiencing the present urgency for a re-evangelization, the Church cannot withdraw from her ongoing mission of bringing the gospel to the multitudes -the millions and millions of men and women- who as yet do not know Christ the Redeemer of humanity.

In a specific way this is the missionary work that Jesus entrusted and again entrusts each day to his Church. The activity of the lay faithful, who are always present in these surroundings, is revealed in these days as increasingly necessary and valuable. As it stands, the command of the Lord "Go into the whole world" is continuing to find a generous response from laypersons who are ready to leave familiar surroundings, their work, their region or country, at least for a determined time, to go into mission territory.

Even Christian married couples, in imitation of Aquila and Priscilla cf. Acts 18; Rom A true missionary presence is exercised even by those who for various reasons live in countries or surroundings where the Church is not yet established and bear witness to the faith. However, at present the missionary concern is taking on such extensive and serious proportions for the Church that only a truly consolidated effort to assume responsibility by all members of the Church, both individuals and communities, can lead to the hope for a more fruitful response.

The invitation addressed by the Second Vatican Council to the particular Church retains all its value, even demanding at present a more extensive and more decisive acceptance: The Church today ought to take a giant step forward in her evangelization effort, and enter into a new stage of history in her missionary dynamism. In a world where the lessening of distance makes the world increasingly smaller, the Church community ought to strengthen the bonds among its members, exchange vital energies and means, and commit itself as a group to a unique and common mission of proclaiming and living the Gospel.

In this area, younger Churches are finding that an essential and undeniable element in the founding of Churches [] is the formation not only of local clergy but also of a mature and responsible lay faithful: The Synod Fathers have mentioned that the lay faithful can favour the relations which ought to be established with followers of various religions through their example in the situations in which they live and in their activities: All the Faithful, especially the lay faithful who live among the people of other religions, whether living in their native region or in lands as migrants, ought to be for all a sign of the Lord and his Church, in a way adapted to the actual living situation of each place.

Dialogue among religions has a preeminent part, for it leads to love and mutual respect, and takes away, or at least diminishes, prejudices among the followers of various religions and promotes unity and friendship among peoples" []. What is first needed for the evangelization of the world are those who will evangelize. In this regard everyone, beginning with the Christian family, must feel the responsibility to foster the birth and growth of vocations, both priestly and religious as well as in the lay state, specifically directed to the missions.

This should be done by relying on every appropriate means, but without ever neglecting the privileged means of prayer, according to the very words of the Lord Jesus: In both accepting and proclaiming the Gospel in the power of the Spirit the Church becomes at one and the same time an "evangelizing and evangelized" community, and for this very reason she is made the servant of all.

In her the lay faithful participate in the mission of service to the person and society. Without doubt the Church has the Kingdom of God as her supreme goal, of which "she on earth is its seed and beginning" [] , and is therefore totally consecrated to the glorification of the Father. However, the Kingdom is the source of full liberation and total salvation for all people: Having received the responsibility of manifesting to the world the mystery of God that shines forth in Jesus Christ, the Church likewise awakens one person to another, giving a sense of one's existence, opening each to the whole truth about the individual and of each person's final destiny [].

From this perspective the Church is called, in virtue of her very mission of evangelization, to serve all humanity. Such service is rooted primarily in the extraordinary and profound fact that "through the Incarnation the Son of God has united himself in some fashion to every person" []. For this reason the person "is the primary route that the Church must travel in fulfilling her mission: The Second Vatican Council, repeatedly and with a singular clarity and force, expressed these very sentiments in its documents.

We again read a particularly enlightening text from the Constitution Gaudium et Spes: She does this most of all by her healing and elevating impact on the dignity of the human person, by the way in which she strengthens the bonds of human society, and imbues the daily activity of people with a deeper sense and meaning. In this work of contributing to the human family, for which the whole Church is responsible, a particular place falls to the lay faithful, by reason of their "secular character", obliging them, in their proper and irreplaceable way, to work towards the Christian animation of the temporal order.

To rediscover and make others rediscover the inviolable dignity of every human person makes up an essential task, in a certain sense, the central and unifying task of the service which the Church, and the lay faithful in her, are called to render to the human family.

Among all other earthly beings, only a man or a woman is a "person", a conscious and free being and, precisely for this reason, the "center and summit" of all that exists on the earth []. The dignity of the person is the most precious possession of an individual. As a result, the value of one person transcends all the material world.

The words of Jesus, "For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and to forfeit his life? The dignity of the person is manifested in all its radiance when the person's origin and destiny are considered: For this reason every violation of the personal dignity of the human being cries out in vengeance to God and is an offence against the Creator of the individual.

In virtue of a personal dignity the human being is always a value as an individual, and as such demands being considered and treated as a person and never, on the contrary, considered and treated as an object to be used, or as a means, or as a thing. The dignity of the person constitutes the foundation of the equality of all people among themselves. As a result all forms of discrimination are totally unacceptable, especially those forms which unfortunately continue to divide and degrade the human family, from those based on race or economics to those social and cultural, from political to geographic, etc.

Each discrimination constitutes an absolutely intolerable injustice, not so much for the tensions and the conflicts that can be generated in the social sphere, as much as for the dishonour inflicted on the dignity of the person: Just as personal dignity is the foundation of equality of all people among themselves, so it is also the foundation of participation and solidarity of all people among themselves: The dignity of the person is the indestructible property of every human being.

The force of this affirmation is based on the uniqueness and irrepeatibility of every person. It was beyond history, beyond memory. We are deeply saddened by the behaviour of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and asking your forgiveness we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the Covenant.

Immediately after John Paul II's death, the ADL said in a statement that he had revolutionised Catholic-Jewish relations, saying, "more change for the better took place in his year Papacy than in the nearly 2, years before. He achieved far more in terms of transforming relations with both the Jewish people and the State of Israel than any other figure in the history of the Catholic Church. With Judaism, therefore, we have a relationship which we do not have with any other religion. You are our dearly beloved brothers, and in a certain way, it could be said that you are our elder brothers.

In an interview with the Polish Press Agency, Michael Schudrich , chief rabbi of Poland, said that never in history did anyone do as much for Christian-Jewish dialogue as Pope John Paul II, adding that many Jews had a greater respect for the late pope than for some rabbis. Schudrich praised John Paul II for condemning anti-Semitism as a sin, which no previous pope had done. In the stormy history of relations between Roman popes and Jews in the ghetto in which they were closed for over three centuries in humiliating circumstances, John Paul II is a bright figure in his uniqueness.

In relations between our two great religions in the new century that was stained with bloody wars and the plague of racism, the heritage of John Paul II remains one of the few spiritual islands guaranteeing survival and human progress. In Mainz , he met with leaders of the Evangelical Church in Germany , and with representatives of other Christian denominations.

No Ordinary People

The visit took place years after the birth of Martin Luther , the German Augustinian monk who initiated the Protestant Reformation. In addition to celebrating Mass with Catholic believers, he participated in ecumenical services at places that had been Catholic shrines before the Reformation: Nidaros Cathedral in Norway; near St. The signing was a fruit of a theological dialogue that had been going on between the LWF and the Vatican since As he entered St. On the way to the hospital, he lost consciousness.

Even though the two bullets missed his mesenteric artery and abdominal aorta , he lost nearly three-quarters of his blood. He underwent five hours of surgery to treat his wounds. Could I forget that the event in St. For in everything that happened to me on that very day, I felt that extraordinary motherly protection and care, which turned out to be stronger than the deadly bullet.

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He was sentenced to life imprisonment. I spoke to him as a brother whom I have pardoned and who has my complete trust. Numerous other theories were advanced to explain the assassination attempt, some of them controversial. One such theory, advanced by Michael Ledeen and heavily pushed by the United States Central Intelligence Agency at the time of the assassination but never substantiated by evidence, was that the Soviet Union was behind the attempt on John Paul II's life in retaliation for the pope's support of Solidarity, the Catholic, pro-democratic Polish workers' movement.

On 15 January a suicide bomber was planning to dress as a priest and detonate a bomb when the pope passed in his motorcade on his way to the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City. The assassination was supposed to divert attention from the next phase of the operation. However, a chemical fire inadvertently started by the cell alerted police to their whereabouts, and all were arrested a week before the pope's visit, and confessed to the plot.

In John Koehler, a journalist and former army intelligence officer, published Spies in the Vatican: There is wide speculation that they were, in reality, KGB agents. John Paul II apologised to many groups that had suffered at the hands of the Catholic Church through the years. As pope, he officially made public apologies for over wrongdoings, including: On 20 November , from a laptop in the Vatican, Pope John Paul II sent his first e-mail apologising for the Catholic sex abuse cases , the Church-backed " Stolen Generations " of Aboriginal children in Australia, and to China for the behaviour of Catholic missionaries in colonial times.

When he became pope in at the age of 58, John Paul II was an avid sportsman. He was extremely healthy and active, jogging in the Vatican gardens , weight training, swimming, and hiking in the mountains. He was fond of football. The only modern pope with a fitness regimen had been Pope Pius XI — , who was an avid mountaineer. However, after over twenty-five years as pope, two assassination attempts, one of which injured him severely, and a number of cancer scares, John Paul's physical health declined.

In he was diagnosed as suffering from Parkinson's disease. Despite difficulty speaking more than a few sentences at a time, trouble hearing , and severe osteoarthrosis , he continued to tour the world although rarely walking in public. Pope John Paul II was hospitalised with breathing problems caused by a bout of influenza on 1 February On 31 March , following a urinary tract infection , [] he developed septic shock , a form of infection with a high fever and low blood pressure , but was not hospitalised.

Instead, he was monitored by a team of consultants at his private residence. This was taken as an indication by the pope, and those close to him, that he was nearing death; it would have been in accordance with his wishes to die in the Vatican. The day before his death, one of his closest personal friends, Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka visited him at his bedside.

Tens of thousands of people assembled and held vigil in St. Peter's Square and the surrounding streets for two days. Upon hearing of this, the dying pope was said to have stated: On Saturday, 2 April , at approximately Present at the bedside was a cardinal from Ukraine, who served as a priest with John Paul in Poland, along with Polish nuns of the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, who ran the papal household.

Pope John Paul II died in his private apartment at The death of the pontiff set in motion rituals and traditions dating back to medieval times. John Paul II's testament, published on 7 April , [] revealed that the pontiff contemplated being buried in his native Poland but left the final decision to The College of Cardinals, which in passing, preferred burial beneath St.

Peter's Basilica, honouring the pontiff's request to be placed "in bare earth". The Requiem Mass held on 8 April was said to have set world records both for attendance and number of heads of state present at a funeral. It was the single largest gathering of heads of state in history, surpassing the funerals of Winston Churchill and Josip Broz Tito Four kings, five queens, at least 70 presidents and prime ministers, and more than 14 leaders of other religions attended alongside the faithful. The alcove had been empty since John XXIII's remains had been moved into the main body of the basilica after his beatification.

Upon the death of John Paul II, a number of clergy at the Vatican and laymen [87] [] [] began referring to the late pontiff as "John Paul the Great" — in theory only the fourth pope to be so acclaimed. Scholars of canon law say that there is no official process for declaring a pope "Great"; the title simply establishes itself through popular and continued usage, [] [] [] as was the case with celebrated secular leaders for example, Alexander III of Macedon became popularly known as Alexander the Great.

Keep the flame of faith alive in your lives and your people"; [] and in May during a visit to Poland where he repeatedly made references to "the great John Paul" and "my great predecessor". Inspired by calls of "Santo Subito! In early , it was reported that the Vatican was investigating a possible miracle associated with John Paul II.

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Sister Marie Simon-Pierre , a French nun and member of the Congregation of Little Sisters of Catholic Maternity Wards, confined to her bed by Parkinson's disease, [] [] was reported to have experienced a "complete and lasting cure after members of her community prayed for the intercession of Pope John Paul II". During his homily , he encouraged prayers for the early canonisation of John Paul II and stated that he hoped canonisation would happen "in the near future". Following a ceremony on 2 April —the second anniversary of the Pontiff's death—the cause proceeded to the scrutiny of the committee of lay, clerical, and episcopal members of the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints , to conduct a separate investigation.

Peter's Basilica, the boy told them, "I want to walk," and began walking normally. Once the second decree is signed, the positio the report on the cause, with documentation about his life and writings and with information on the cause is complete.

As Monsignor Oder noted, this course would have been possible if the second decree were signed in time by Benedict XVI, stating that a posthumous miracle directly attributable to his intercession had occurred, completing the positio. Peter's Basilica ahead of his beatification, as tens of thousands of people arrived in Rome for one of the biggest events since his funeral. Peter's Square on 1 May Sebastian , where Pope Innocent XI was buried. Antonio Schlesinger Piedrahita, a renowned neurologist in Colombia, has certified Fidel's healing.

The documentation has been sent to the Vatican office for sainthood causes. To be eligible for canonisation being declared a saint by the Catholic Church, two miracles must be attributed to a candidate. The first miracle attributed to John Paul was his healing a case of Parkinson's disease, which was recognised during the beatification process. According to an article on the Catholic News Service CNS dated 23 April , a Vatican commission of doctors concluded that a healing had no natural medical explanation, which is the first requirement for a claimed miracle to be officially documented.

The second miracle was deemed to have taken place shortly after the late pope's beatification on 1 May ; it was reported to be the healing of Costa Rican woman Floribeth Mora of an otherwise terminal brain aneurysm. On 4 July , Pope Francis confirmed his approval of John Paul II's canonisation, formally recognising the second miracle attributed to his intercession. About cardinals and bishops concelebrated the Mass, and at least , people attended the Mass, with an estimated , others watching from video screens placed around Rome.

John Paul II was widely criticised for a variety of his views, including his opposition to the ordination of women and use of contraception , [21] [] his support for the Second Vatican Council and its reform of the liturgy , and his response to child sexual abuse within the Church. John Paul II was criticised by representatives of the victims of clergy sexual abuse [] for failing to respond quickly enough to the Catholic sex abuse crisis. In his response, he stated that "there is no place in the priesthood and religious life for those who would harm the young.

In April , John Paul II, despite being frail from Parkinson's disease, summoned all the American cardinals to the Vatican to discuss possible solutions to the issue of sexual abuse in the American Church. He asked them to "diligently investigate accusations". John Paul II suggested that American bishops be more open and transparent in dealing with such scandals and emphasised the role of seminary training to prevent sexual deviance among future priests.

In what The New York Times called "unusually direct language", John Paul condemned the arrogance of priests that led to the scandals:. Priests and candidates for the priesthood often live at a level both materially and educationally superior to that of their families and the members of their own age group. It is therefore very easy for them to succumb to the temptation of thinking of themselves as better than others. When this happens, the ideal of priestly service and self-giving dedication can fade, leaving the priest dissatisfied and disheartened. The pope read a statement intended for the American cardinals, calling the sex abuse "an appalling sin" and said the priesthood had no room for such men.

The panel of experts overwhelmingly opposed implementation of policies of "zero-tolerance" such as was proposed by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. One expert called such policies a "case of overkill" since they do not permit flexibility to allow for differences among individual cases. Law had previously resigned as archbishop of Boston in in response to the Catholic Church sexual abuse cases after Church documents were revealed that suggested he had covered up sexual abuse committed by priests in his archdiocese.

Pope John Paul was alleged to have links with Banco Ambrosiano , an Italian bank that collapsed in Calvi, often referred to as "God's Banker", was also involved the Vatican Bank, Istituto per le Opere di Religione , in his dealings, and was close to Bishop Paul Marcinkus , the bank's chairman. Ambrosiano also provided funds for political parties in Italy, and for both the Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua and its Sandinista opposition.

It has been widely alleged that the Vatican Bank provided money for Solidarity in Poland. Calvi used his complex network of overseas banks and companies to move money out of Italy, to inflate share prices, and to arrange massive unsecured loans. In , the Bank of Italy produced a report on Ambrosiano that predicted future disaster. In addition to all the criticism from those demanding modernisation, traditionalist Catholics sometimes denounced him as well.

These issues included demanding a return to the Tridentine Mass [] and repudiation of the reforms instituted after the Second Vatican Council, such as the use of the vernacular language in the formerly Latin Roman Rite Mass, ecumenism , and the principle of religious liberty. He also was criticised for allowing and appointing liberal bishops in their sees and thus silently promoting Modernism , which was firmly condemned as the "synthesis of all heresies" by his predecessor Pope Pius X.

Pius X , was excommunicated under John Paul II because of the unapproved ordination of four bishops, which was called by the Holy See a "schismatic act". The World Day of Prayer for Peace , [] with a meeting in Assisi, Italy, in , in which the pope prayed only with the Christians, [] was criticised for giving the impression that syncretism and indifferentism were openly embraced by the Papal Magisterium. When a second 'Day of Prayer for Peace in the World' [] was held, in , it was condemned as confusing the laity and compromising to false religions.

Likewise criticised was his kissing [] of the Qur'an in Damascus, Syria, on one of his travels on 6 May John Paul's position against artificial birth control, including the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV, [] was harshly criticised by doctors and AIDS activists, who said that it led to countless deaths and millions of AIDS orphans. The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development published a paper stating, "Any strategy that enables a person to move from a higher-risk towards the lower end of the continuum, [we] believe, is a valid risk reduction strategy.

There was strong criticism of the pope for the controversy surrounding the alleged use of charitable social programmes as a means of converting people in the Third World to Catholicism. On 27 January , it was reported that a relic of John Paul II, a vial containing drops of his blood, had been stolen from the church of San Pietro della Ienca north of L'Aquila in the mountainous Abruzzo region of central Italy, a region where he had loved to go on skiing vacations.

Cardinal Dziwisz had previously given the vial to the church in recognition of its connections to the Pontiff. Because there are only three relics containing his blood, few or no other items were disturbed, and it would be difficult to sell, the investigating Italian police believe it was a commissioned theft, and speculated that the blood might be used in Satanic rites.

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The theft sparked a major search for the culprits. Having played the game himself as a goalkeeper, John Paul II was a fan of English football team Liverpool , where his compatriot Jerzy Dudek played in the same position. The thirty-two-year friendship and occasional academic collaboration lasted until his death. Writers Carl Bernstein , the veteran investigative journalist of the Watergate scandal , and Vatican expert Marco Politi, were the first journalists to talk to Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka in the s about her importance in John Paul's life.

They interviewed her and dedicated 20 pages to her in their book His Holiness. How could I fall in love with a middle-aged clergyman? Besides, I'm a married woman. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Papal ferula Papal vestments. Papal conclave, October Theology of the Body. Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory. Theology Ecclesiology Treatise on Law Determinatio.

Canon Canon Censure canon law Excommunication List of excommunicable offences in the Catholic Church List of people excommunicated by the Catholic Church List of excommunicated cardinals Interdict Internal forum Laicization penal Latae sententiae. Canon law Catholic Church. Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Holy See—Soviet Union relations. Pope John Paul II's health.

Catholic sex abuse cases. Controversies about Opus Dei. Biography portal Christianity portal History portal. John Paul II, the patron saint of families". Retrieved 2 May Retrieved 31 March Saint John Paul the Great: Retrieved 31 October Retrieved 6 September Archived from the original on 8 January Retrieved 22 October Retrieved 27 April Retrieved 27 December Retrieved 13 February Archived from the original on 3 March Retrieved 1 January Archived from the original on 30 December Retrieved 3 February Retrieved 3 July Retrieved 1 May Life With Two Languages 8 ed.

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Archived from the original PDF on 28 November Millions Cheer as the Pope Comes Home". A New History', p. Archived from the original on 30 June Retrieved 12 September Retrieved 22 December Archived from the original on 18 January Retrieved 24 January Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved 3 November Kenneth Brighenti and Rev. John Paul II for Dummies , p. Terror in the Land of the Holy Spirit: The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 14 November Adam Boniecki 25 May National Centre for Science Education. Berating Marxism's False Hopes". Retrieved 27 July Retrieved 2 November The Church entrusts to young people the task of proclaiming to the world the joy which springs from having met Christ.

Dear friends, allow yourselves to be drawn to Christ, accept his invitation to follow him. Go and preach the Good News that redeems; do it with happiness in your hearts and become communicators of hope in a world which is often tempted to despair, communicators of faith in a society which at times seems resigned to disbelief, communicators of love, in daily events that are often marked by a mentality of the most unbridled selfishness.

With such heart-to-heart communication, the pope created a dynamic friendship with millions of youth. Few if any of us will have opportunities to influence so many people for Christ and the Church. Every saint was a sinner, so what's holding you back from drawing closer to God? Bert Ghezzi helps you learn more about 10 saints in Saints at Heart.

This inspiring volume by acclaimed Catholic writer Bert Ghezzi reclaims the life-transforming power and blessing of this ancient prayer. Twenty-four compelling biographies explore the inspiring lives of ordinary people chosen to do God's extraordinary work. Shipping Notice Loyola Press offices will be closed beginning at 2: Then he called on them to collaborate with him in proclaiming the gospel: Excerpt from Saints at Heart by Bert Ghezzi.

Books by Bert Ghezzi. Voices of the Saints A Day Journey with our Spiritual Companions The inspiring stories of holy men and women brought to life in reader-friendly ways. The Sign of the Cross Rediscovering the Power of the Ancient Prayer This inspiring volume by acclaimed Catholic writer Bert Ghezzi reclaims the life-transforming power and blessing of this ancient prayer.