MERGED AGAIN: ...Is the Pope Next? + Pope John Paul II + JP2...+Pope John Paul Dead!

[verte76]

Well, he's gone home to God now, may he rest in peace. He was an amazing man, not perfect, of course, no one is, but I'm saddened by the loss. It's going to be so strange having another pope, I have never been Catholic under any other pope. I'm sure that's true of many cradle Catholics these days as well.

 

[Doozer61]

.

 

[ZeroDude]

Ah well, he was dead on in my honest opinion but everyone goes sometime no matter who you are

 

[U2democrat]

at least he went peacefully.

 

[ZeroDude]

His servitude deserves more than respect, exaltation maybe, peace be on him

 

[U2democrat]

 

[XHendrix24]

RIP.

He's in a better place now.

 

[U2democrat]

president bush is about to make a statement. i'm actually eager to hear what he has to say. this goes beyond political boundaries.

 

[U2democrat]

not very significant statement, but appropriate.

 

[verte76]

president bush is about to make a statement. i'm actually eager to hear what he has to say. this goes beyond political boundaries.

I agree. This is the first time since the election I've actually turned on the news.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

.

 

[U2democrat]

what a great man.

 

[BorderGirl]

You won't get much argument here from me. The Papacy into the Middle Ages onward became an imperial throne like any other worldly kingdom. It was also subject to the same gross corruption that plagued other kingdoms, and royalty controlled and made up most of the clergy. As such, the Vatican et al. is a result of its imperialist past. I do think such opulence has rotted their ability to relate to common society, and, as a result, I do think that Catholicism has little to no regard for anything its followers believe or want. They're the "kings"; we're the "subjects," as far as they're concerned.

Melon

You're right. All those 50, 000 people standing in St. Peters Square or the ones gathered together praying in churches or homes all over the world ?They believe "that Catholicism has little regard for anything its followers believe or want."
Good call.

 

[Anthony]

I hope that he died a good death, and that he has found peace. I did not think him a Pope worthy of 'great' or 'good', but for everything he did that I disagreed with, I can't say that he didn't do any good.

I hope his successor will be a better one.

Ant.

 

[U2democrat]

theologically i had many problems with him but he was a champion for those who suffer.

 

[Anthony]

Agreed. My only argument is that his utter refusal to modernise the Catholic church resulted in the suffering of others, also, I do think he sometimes championed the wrong causes. But yes, for many Catholics he was a champion.

Ant.

 

[U2democrat]

I'm not catholic but i have a great deal of respect for him.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I'm sure there are plenty of reasons to respect the pope in a non-political, or even non-theological way. I didn't agree with some of his most extreme views on either, but to wish that more were like him as a do-er would not be a bad thing.

 

[U2democrat]

 

[namkcuR]

I'm not catholic or religious at all, and I really can't relate to these people I see on the news at the Vatican, crying for him. I understand that he meant a whole lot to them and I understand that they are greatly saddened by his passing, and I respect their sadness and mourning completely.

I think the Pope was a good man, and he held a number of opinions I agree with, for example he was against capital punishment and against the war in Iraq. I respect him especially where capital punishment is concerned because he went against the church.

However, at the same time, there are things he believed in that make it impossible for me to show any real affection to him. Homosexualality, Stem Cells, etc.

While I can't feel any kind of love or affection for him, I do respect him for his humanitarian side, politics aside.

Anyway, R.I.P.

 

[verte76]

Personally, I've always felt that my favorite pope was John XXIII. For someone who was only pope for five years, his impact on the Church was indeed massive--he convened Vatican II. Now some people think that Pope John Paul II centralized the Church too much and now they hope that the next pope will decentralize the church, which could have far-reaching implications.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

(And to anitram)

Thanks .

Originally posted by AvsGirl41
I can vouch for the Denver story. My dad is a Denver police officer and had to work security outside the cathedral where the Pope was staying. He mentioned this morning that he got to meet him and and shook his hand--he left the Catholic Church years before and he said it still was "electric."

I remember at the time they always had security problems because he would just randomly step outside to start greeting people or to take his dog for a walk. I remember my dad had to run across the street from getting coffee at McDonalds because here he came, out for a walk-a-bout, his assistants chasing after him. It *is* surprising that he would be so confident and warm towards ordinary people. Many public figures could learn a thing or two from that.

Haha, oh, really? Wow, that's a cool story-same with the Denver one. That had to be quite the experience, I'm sure-who'd ever expect to see the Pope show up near a McDonald's?

So...I just heard the news a few minutes ago about his death-may he rest in peace.

 

[U2@NYC]

Melon, Anthony... I kindly ask you to save your criticism until later this week.

I respect your disagreement and consider you smart, not judgmental people. But this is indeed a very sad day for us Catholics and I wanted to read in this forum some support for a leader. You may like him or not, but that is what he was.

And please note that I am not trying to censor you or anything. This is just too special of a moment for many of us.

Thanks.

P.

 

[U2democrat]

nice post.

 

[JOFO]

rest in peace.

 

[U2Bama]

I express my condolences and offer my prayers to all of our Catholic fans here and any others who admired the Pope. I have mentioned before that I consider the Roman Catholic Church to very much be a part of the Body of Christ, and Pope John Paul II was (and is) therefore part of the Body of Christ as well. We'll see you when we get home.

~U2Alabama

 

[melon]

Melon, Anthony... I kindly ask you to save your criticism until later this week.

I respect your disagreement and consider you smart, not judgmental people. But this is indeed a very sad day for us Catholics and I wanted to read in this forum some support for a leader. You may like him or not, but that is what he was.

And please note that I am not trying to censor you or anything. This is just too special of a moment for many of us.

Thanks.

P.

I respect that, and I do respect your sentiments. But I was a Catholic, until I felt unwanted. I have 13 years of religious education under my belt too. In other words, there is no "us" and "them." We are all the same.

I wrote my final comment on this subject here. People can feel free to comment there.

I will not be posting this thread anymore.

Cheers...

Melon

 

[U2@NYC]

Thanks, Melon. I appreciate it.

 

[Teta040]

RIP, the "funky pontiff".

This saddens me so much, I think, because in a world with perhaps no real "leaders", he was a great man, great leader. Whatever his policies were, and I join the many on here who did not agree with what he did in his later years, but his overall grace and humanity and caring for people--a "modern Pope"...indeed...there aren't many inspirational people out there today. (well, we all know four, and one in particular, who can compare ). But he was in another league.

I feel that, with this passing, the 2oth century is truly over, and an era has passed.

 

[melon]

Thanks, Melon. I appreciate it.

It's my pleasure to oblige.

Melon