“It is with extreme sadness that we hear of the passing of the leader of the world's Catholics, His Holiness Pope John Paul II, who commanded the three paths of religious learning, philosophical thought and poetical and artistic creativity.” WorldThreeReligiousLeaderCreativityPathSadnessPhilosophicalCatholicExtremesPassingPassingsArtisticHolinessPopeJohn PaulJohn Paul IiArtistic CreativityPope John Paul Author:Mohammad Khatami
“For us Catholics, John Paul II will be remembered as a traveling Pope ... and we should also remember he preached world peace. When the United States invaded Iraq, for example, John Paul II said it was an illegal and immoral act.” WorldShouldSaidStatesRememberUnitedUnited StatesExampleCatholicIraqRememberedIllegalPopeImmoralJohn PaulJohn Paul Ii Author:Hugo Chavez
“I think, internally, we Catholics have known this for a long time. I think we're just thrilled and grateful that the rest of the world now is sharing in the esteem and gratitude that we've had for Pope John Paul II for 26 and a half years.” ThinkingWorldYearsLongHalfKnownGratitudeLong TimeCatholicGratefulEsteemPopeHalf A YearJohn PaulJohn Paul IiPope John Paul Author:Chris Matthews
“Pope John Paul II was fascinated by the United States. And I think he was initially surprised at the vigor of the Catholic Church in the United States. Maybe some of the press that we had gotten he found wasn't true. No, I think he suspected the church in the United States. Did he challenge us to some things? Sure, he did. But, no, I always - I think there was a good alliance. There was a good gel there.” ThinkingStatesFoundChallengesChurchUnitedUnited StatesCatholicPressesFascinatedPopeAlliancesCatholic ChurchVigorJohn PaulJohn Paul IiPope John Paul Author:Chris Matthews
“Those who saw Pope John Paul II either in person or through the mass media glimpsed a man who millions of Catholics believe may be one of the greatest popes in the history of the church.” MenBelieveMayPersonsChurchMillionsSawsMediaMassCatholicPopeMass MediaJohn PaulJohn Paul IiPope John Paul Author:Chris Matthews
“The Catholic Church [with Pope John Paul II] has lost its shepherd. The world has lost a champion of human freedom.” WorldHumansLostChurchCatholicChampionPopeCatholic ChurchShepherdsHuman FreedomJohn PaulJohn Paul IiPope John Paul Author:Chris Matthews
“Perhaps the dumbest of these story lines is that [Pope] Francis has re-opened conversation and debate in a Church that had been closed and claustrophobic for 35 years under John Paul II and Benedict XVI. I defy anyone who, over the last 35 years, has spent time on the campuses of Notre Dame or Georgetown, or who has read the National Catholic Reporter, or who has gone to a meeting of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, to make that claim without experiencing a twinge of conscience that says, "I should wash my mouth out with soap."” ShouldYearsStoriesLastsChurchReligiousLinesGoneConversationMouthsConscienceClaimsCatholicMeetingsDebateReportersPopeConferencesSoapCampusDamesJohn PaulNotre DameJohn Paul IiGeorgetownBenedict Xvi Author:George Weigel
“The "encounter" with the people on the peripheries is intended to draw them into the circle of common care and concern - that call to encounter is, to use a favorite world of John Paul II's, a call to solidarity. And that means, it seems to me, aggressive Catholic efforts to empower the poor - and a profound Catholic challenge to all those cultural forces that are eroding stable families, which are the elementary schools where we learn to take responsibility for our lives, which is the highest exercise of freedom.” PeopleWorldMeanUseSeemsCareSchoolForceChallengesPoorCommonEffortResponsibilityOur LivesExerciseHighestDrawsConcernCatholicProfoundCirclesEncountersEmpoweringAggressiveStableSolidarityTaking ResponsibilityElementary SchoolJohn PaulPeripheryJohn Paul IiCare And Concern Author:George Weigel