Pope John Paul II

1920-2005

"The Church counters the culture of death with the culture of love."
— John Paul II

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church died Saturday, April 2. The world's most recognized Christian, John Paul led the Catholic church on a global stage. His influence on the entire Christian world is immeasurable. For the next several days, urbana.org will post several articles, testimonies and links, as we work to gain an understanding of the man born in Poland as Karol Wojtyla.

Ongoing Updates (newest on top)

April 20: "Habemus Papam." With these Latin words the College of Cardinals announced the April 19 election of a new leader for the world's largest Christian body. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger accepted his peers' nomination after one of the shortest conclaves in recent history, assuming the new name of Benedict the 16th.

A German from Bavaria, Benedict 16 is the second consecutive, and second overall, non-Italian pope since 1523. Though he is not an African or South American, as many in the Catholic Church had expected, Ratzinger's election further solidifies the increasing globalization of the Church.

April 7 He left nothing. John Paul II’s will was released today, including numerous wishes, blessings and greetings. He asked that his personal notes be burned. Beyond that, the late pope had no belongings.

To be sure, John Paul had access to all the wealth of the church. He didn’t go hungry. But in the context of papal history – in which some popes have amassed enormous stockpiles of wealth – John Paul’s material simplicity is a witness of discipline and faithfulness.

April 6 Talk of a "secret Cardinal" to be identified in John Paul II's will may prove to be stillborn, but serves as a reminder of the persecuted church in the midst of commemorations. The late pope appointed 31 Cardinals in October 2003, but kept secret one person's identity. "In Pectora" is the Latin phrase, roughly translated as "close to the heart." It is a designation usually reserved for leaders in countries where the church faces persecution.

At three other occasions during his papacy, John Paul named secret cardinals, only to reveal their identity when circumstances became more secure. Two of the men resided in the Soviet Union, and a third in China. The latter, Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei, had served 30 years in prison for being a leader in China's underground Church. It is safe to assume that this "secret cardinal" - should his identity be revealed in John Paul's will - lives in similar circumstances. If John Paul took his secret to the grave, the secret Cardinal will most likely never be identified.

During the coming weeks, camaras will show hundreds of thousands of Catholics, ornate cathedrals and elaborate rituals. But the whisper of a secret cardinal reminds us that much of the global church is suffering under persecution. Please lift up these brothers and sisters in your prayers this week.

link: Persecution.org is a clearinghouse for information on ways to pray for and serve the oppressed church.

April 5 John Paul II will be buried on Friday. Cardinals are arriving from around the world for the funeral and the conclave, at which they will select the new pope. No pope in modern history has had such and influence on the immediate future: after a quarter-century in the Vatican, John Paul II had named all but three of the 117 Cardinals who will select his successor. The college of Cardinals is far more representative of the world than the leadership of most Christian - including evangelical - structures. Dozens of countries and peoples are represented, and the accusation can no longer be made of token representation masking Italian dominance: only a fifth of the voting Cardinals are Italian.

For the first time in many centuries, even if the next pope is an Italian, the Catholic church is truly embracing its global identity. This shift has the potential to bring great healing to the fractured Christian community and bears close watching.

The conclave will not meet, however, for another two weeks. In the meanwhile we may dedicate our energies to listening to the lifetime witness of John Paul II -Paul Grant

April 4 InterVarsity President Alec Hill has been quoted in the Wisconsin State Journal:

Alec Hill, president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a national college ministry with headquarters in Madison, said he thinks that when the great figures of the 20th century are listed, John Paul will be near the top.

"He had such an impact on both the church and politics," Hill said. "I don't think we yet comprehend his role in the end of communism. He was both very Catholic and very ecumenical; he could bridge the gaps in unexpected ways. I had enormous respect for him."

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Links

The Vatican's John Paul II site - includes exaustive compendium of speeches and statements made.
Biography from US Conference of Bishops
Pope John Paul II and Evangelicals - Interview with George Wiegel, the pope's biographer.