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Pope John Paul II was himself an inspiration to millions of people beyond religions through out the world. You are invited to join this group to share your views on a Charismatic leader, who revolutionized the modern papacy, Pope John Paul II. To join to hear, share and express your views click this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/POPE_JOHN_PAUL_Tributes/join Or email to : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Welcome to express Tribute to Pope John Paul II. A Charismatic Leader, beyond the church. Pope John Paul II was himself an inspiration to millions of people beyond religions through out the world. How a boy from small-town Poland grew up to become pope and, in the opinion of many, "the man of the century." John Paul II will be remembered as The Pilgrim Pope. Since being elected in 1978, he has traveled to more places in the world and has spoken to more people than any other pontiff in the history of the Church. He revolutionized the modern papacy. Where previous pontiffs remained distant, never straying far from the Vatican, John Paul maintained a busy travel schedule. Since the start of his Pontificate on October 16, 1978, Pope John Paul II completed 102 pastoral visits outside of Italy and 144 within Italy, visiting almost 130 countries during his 26 years as Pope. He logged more kilometres of travel than all other popes combined. He was only 58 when elected, making him the youngest pope of the 20th century. He was the first non-Italian pope since the 15th century. His charisma – people who met him described it as a "luminescence" – and common touch drew adoring crowds wherever he went. On March 14, 2004, John Paul became the longest-serving pope after Pius IX and St. Peter when his pontificate overtook that of Leo XIII. It is significant, but not surprising, that one of John Paul's last grand pilgrimages was to the Holy Land early in the new millennium when he visited the birthplace of Christ and said, "Bethlehem is the heart of my Jubilee Pilgrimage." In April 2002, he called 12 U.S. cardinals to the Vatican for an extraordinary two-day session to discuss the growing scandal of priestly sexual abuse of children in America. The Pope told the visiting cardinals that sexual abuse of children by priests and religious is "rightly considered a crime" and is "an appalling sin in the eyes of God." On Apr 6, 2005 8:58 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > http://www.rickross.com/reference/opus/opus50.html > > Rise of Opus Dei under Pope has liberals concerned > over succession > Financial Times (UK)/March 5, 2005 > By Tony Barber > > According to Roman Catholic Church rules, the choice > of the next Pope will rest with the cardinals, > currently numbering 118, who are under the age of 80 > and who will hold a conclave in the Vatican's Sistine > Chapel after John Paul II's death. > > But some Church-watchers are asking to what extent the > cardinals' decision will be guided by a conservative > Catholic movement that has steadily increased its > influence at the Vatican in the twilight years of John > Paul's papacy. > > Opus Dei, a movement founded in Spain in 1928, is > often criticised by liberal Catholics for being > secretive, elitist and tolerant of seemingly bizarre > acts of physical self-punishment on the part of its > devotees. > > "One of the most powerful and reactionary > organisations in the Roman Catholic Church today" is > how Catholics For a Free Choice, a Washington-based > liberal group, describes the organisation. > > No one in the Church doubts Opus Dei's support for > John Paul's theological conservatism and his hard line > on sexual ethics, but the accusation of being a > subversive "church within a church" cuts little ice > with the organisation's 85,000 members. > > They stress their movement's spirituality and > commitment to work and duty, and they take immense > pride in the fact that Josemaria Escrivá de Balaguer, > their founder, was made a saint by John Paul in > October 2002. > > It is, however, precisely John Paul's support for Opus > Dei that has put the liberals' nerves on edge. Pope > Paul VI, who reigned from 1963 to 1978, was famously > cold towards Opus Dei, but all that has changed during > John Paul's 26-year papacy. > > Not only was Escrivá canonised a mere 27 years after > his death - an unusually speedy path to sainthood by > Church standards - but in 1982 John Paul gave a > special canonical status to Opus Dei. By making the > movement a "personal prelature", he effectively > stripped local bishops of control over Opus Dei's > activities. > > In the past four years, two Opus Dei churchmen have > been awarded a cardinal's hat: Juan Luis Cipriani of > Peru, and Julián Herranz, the Spanish-born president > of the pontifical council for legislative texts. > > Cardinal Herranz has emerged as one of the five or six > prelates closest to John Paul during his recent > illnesses, which have confined the 84-year-old Pope to > hospital and have at times prevented him from > communicating except by means of short handwritten > notes to his immediate entourage. > > Cardinal Herranz convenes occasional meetings with > other cardinals at an Opus Dei-owned villa in > Grottarosa in the Roman countryside, a practice that > may assume more importance if it continues in the days > before the next conclave. > > Another of those in frequent close contact with the > Pope is Joaquin Navarro-Valls, John Paul's ultra-loyal > spokesman and a prominent Opus Dei layman. > > Opus Dei's influence in the Church was on open display > at Escrivá's canonisation, which was attended by 42 > cardinals. Not all will take part in the next > conclave, and those who do may not vote as a bloc, but > it was a striking demonstration that Opus Dei's star > was on the rise. > > According to one Church-watcher, it is also noteworthy > that the prelate who will be the most powerful figure > in the Vatican between John Paul's death and the > election of his successor has connections to Opus Dei. > He is Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, the Vatican's > Spanish-born "camerlengo", or chamberlain. > > The cardinal, whose nephew is an Opus Dei priest, will > have the responsibility of administering the Holy > See's money and property until the next Pope is > elected. > > He will also arrange John Paul's funeral and prepare > the conclave. > > Some Catholic academics in Rome caution against > reading too much into Opus Dei's influence at the > Vatican. The outcome of conclaves, they emphasise, is > all but impossible to predict, and Opus Dei is not > especially powerful in the Italian Church, which will > provide 20 of the 118 cardinal-electors. > > "The Jesuits were strong under Pius XII, but now that > is less true," noted one theologian, referring to the > Pope who reigned from 1939 to 1958. > > To see more documents/articles regarding this > group/organization/subject > > http://www.rickross.com/groups/opus.html > > __________________________________ > Yahoo! Messenger > Show us what our next emoticon should look like. Join the fun. > http://www.advision.webevents.yahoo.com/emoticontest > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > -- The Committed Social Worker Lets make a difference in the lives of the people ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Would you Help a Child in need? It is easier than you think. Click Here to meet a Child you can help. http://us.click.yahoo.com/0Z9NuA/I_qJAA/i1hLAA/wpWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> "[M]y ministry is that of servus servorum Dei." --Pope John Paul II (Ut Unum Sint, no. 88) "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it." --Matthew 16:18 Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pope-John-Paul-II/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
