WHERE DOES ONE START?
By Bishop Patrick
AGONISED INTENSITY
Father Denis Blackledge SJ
PARK DAYS
IMPRESSIONS
WHERE DOES ONE START?
By Bishop Patrick
Of all the tributes paid to Pope John Paul II in the media, the one that moves me most was the journalist saying: ‘in his agony he was already touching the hand of the Lord’.
Over the years we have watched him captivate the crowds, forgive his would-be assassin, fearlessly preach the Gospel, push out the frontiers of the Church in his concern for the poor and marginalised, courageously embrace peace, enthusiastically dialogue with other Christian communities and Faith Groups; and inspire us in his life and death to defend life ‘from womb to tomb’.
Bishop Patrick making his last "Ad Limina" visit.
I have very many vivid and personal memories of him. The affection for young people which I observed in Manila, Paris, Toronto, Rome, and elsewhere. His facility with languages, and his easy communication with ordinary people. The intensity of his prayer and meditation in those moments shared with him in his private chapel. In an audience a little over a year ago, I marvelled at the sharpness of his enquiring mind as he struggled to speak, but intent to ask about the needs of the people in the Lancaster diocese.
Above everything else, Pope John Paul was a man of prayer. He would speak lovingly of Mary, Mother of the Church, as she guided him to an ever-deepening relationship with her Son. Confident in his own faith he inspired others to reflect and meditate more clearly on theirs.
Now we pray that the Lord will embrace him in death as he did throughout life and in an inspiring pontificate.
+ Patrick
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AGONISED INTENSITY
Father Denis Blackledge SJ
“Agonised intensity” – those two words have been etched in my memory ever since I stepped into John Paul II’s private chapel at 6.30 one spring morning twenty years ago. Here was a man dressed all in white, knelt in silent prayer, who seemed to be carrying the weight of the church and the world on his shoulders. I was there as his guest with a small group of priests from Britain who were in charge of seminaries – places where priests are trained. And I even had the privilege of being the one closest to him as we celebrated Mass, Eucharist, together. Afterwards I had a few words with him in his library, and he gave me a rosary – which, of course, I gave to my mum! He seemed remarkably fit, even though he’d been shot four years before.
With the Late Bishop Brewer
Two years ago I happened to be in Rome for the feast of Corpus Christi – the Body and Blood of Christ – when traditionally the Pope goes in procession from his own special church of St John Lateran to the church of St Mary Major. What a difference. Here was a man crumpled with age and sickness, yet still with that agonised intensity, a man clearly close to Jesus suffering.
And now we celebrate his own Holy Week and Eastering process, when he has finally gone to God, the agony and intensity over, and he’s at last in gentleness and peace to take his rest with the Loving Lord.
Carmel Jennings of St. Anne's on Sea with her husband Tony greets the Pope ina private audience
What a great man, what stature he has shown. From simple, tough beginnings, when he lost his mother before he was ten, and his father just after he was twenty – as well as a brother when he was only twelve, Karol Josef Wojtyla, a Pole from Wadowice, near Cracow, worked in a quarry and a chemical factory whilst preparing secretly for priesthood.
Ordained priest in Cracow in 1946, he went on to doctoral studies, and exercised pastoral ministry with Polish immigrants, in parishes, and with university students. By 1958 he was auxiliary bishop of Cracow, and by 1964 Archbishop of Cracow. Pope Paul VI made him a Cardinal in 1967.
On 16 October 1978 – the year of three Popes, when both Paul VI and John Paul I died – he was elected Pope, and took the twin names which echoed his desire to continue the legacy of the previous two Popes – John Paul II.
In his papacy he completed 104 pastoral visits outside Italy. During one of them, when he came to Britain in 1982 I was lucky enough to be on the [covered] turf at Wembley Stadium on a hot late spring day with all my students from the late vocations Campion House College, Osterley, when he came to celebrate a Mass, fresh from the historic Canterbury Cathedral meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie.
Among the young people at Cardiff
A prolific writer, apart from five books – one published only weeks ago – he wrote 14 major long letters on matters of faith and morals, and over 60 other important church documents. He’s created almost 500 new Saints from all walks of life in canonisation ceremonies – not to mention over 1300 new Blesseds. Almost 18 million people have attended his weekly General Audiences at the Vatican, and goodness knows how many people he’s met in his worldwide pilgrimages to every continent. He’s the first Pope to live in the age of the worldwide web – if you put his name into a search engine you’ll find literally millions of entries.
How he found time to meet 245 Prime Ministers, have 737 audiences with Heads of State, preside at 15 Synods of Bishops, and create 232 new Cardinals goodness only knows. He was a man of great physical stamina – how wise he was to have his own swimming pool built in his back yard! – but his inner strength came from his sheer daily dedication to being a man whose life was centred on the person of Jesus, and who began each day on his knees.
His enthusiasm for young people, and his frequent meetings with them in various corners of the world, are legendary, with his catchphrase “Young people of ……., I love you!” He certainly knew how to woo a crowd. His intense desire for growing unity and union between the various split Christian Churches was a constant factor in his ministry, as was his longing for world peace, witnessed by the Assisi meetings with leaders of many world faiths. And his slip of paper in the Weeping Wall in Jerusalem was a profound symbolic gesture too deep for words. And in the Vatican Gardens there’s a bit of the Berlin Wall, a memento of how he helped to tear down the barriers between east and west.
In recent times his physical disabilities have been a stirring witness to the unique value of each human being, not least those who are sick or on the margins. His strict deeply christian principles on the value of human life from womb to tomb have been chiselled out in his own experience.
For some within and without the Catholic Church, John Paul II has seemed too strict or rigid on some delicate pastoral issues. But, whatever opinions are voiced about him, no one can doubt that here was a man of God and of the people, who lived his life with his motto “Totus tuus” – “All yours” – to the full, with an intensity and an agony that was palpable.
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PARK DAYS
BLACKBURN
Mary Hind
We were just sat on the grass slopes of the park waiting to go home on the corporation busses when his helicopter came over us. He was so close to us and he waved and smiled and we were all thrilled to bits. It’s still very clear in my mind to this day.
MANCHESTER
Joan Connors – St. Teresa’s parish, Preston
In Heaton Park
Sunday, May 30th, 1982, a long but memorable day was about to unfold. Mass at 6.30 p.m. And by 8.00 we were on our way to Farnworth to catch the “feeder” caches that would take us to within one mile of Heaton Park. Weather good, but this was Manchester so we took rainwear all the same.
People were going down to the park in droves. Once in our corral we settled down for the long night vigil, my very first night “under the stars.” Sleep? Not really. People on the move everywhere and messages over the Tannoy every few minutes. In the chilly early hours some of us left our patch of grass some of us for the Papal enclosure and some to join the choir.
Three of us were down to assist with distribution of the Eucharist. Getting organised proved a long tedious business, but when the time came we were ready. From where we were we had very good view of the Altar; good though distant!
It was a long wait for the Pope but suddenly he was there and what a cheer went up. It was a wonderful experience as he was driven through all sections of the park. All had the opportunity of a rear view of him. The great thing was, we loved our Pope and he loved us, we were sure of that. This was the first time (I hope not the last) that I was to witness an ordination, something those newly ordained will always remember.
Time for the distribution of the Sacrament came round and in spite of every effort to organise it, there was very little reverence. Then it was back to join our group on our own patch of Heaton Park where we sang and cheered as the Holy Father left us. If we were tired, he must have been exhausted. Later that day he was going to York and then on to Edinburg. Finally it was time for home for all of us. Did our Bus have to be at the very end of the road? Perhaps I’m imagining it. The Bus crews, the police and the stewards were a great help, but bed was very welcome when we finally got there.
Later we watched it all on video with Fr Monaghan. It was good to see it all again, but what really made me happy was just that OUR Pope had come all the way to see US.
A treasured memory for Deacon John Walton of Our Lady Star of the sea parish, St. Annes on Sea. John is seated to the right of the steps in Liverpool Cathedral
DUBLIN
Fr Val Farrell
In Dublin's Phoenix Park
The local radio reminded us yet again, “All news, all the time; New York wants to know and we know it. You give us twenty two minutes, and we’ll bring you the world.”
It was the summer of 1979 and I was on holiday on Long Island. It was late afternoon on Jones’ Beach and Louis Ira Newman, had just gone back to the cabin to prepare the Surf & Turf. I could hear him muttering about “lazy Irishmen leaving him with all the work.” Somehow I couldn’t picture Louis as a Martha figure, and I dozed on. I felt good. Dimly I heard the radio mention our new Pope and then “Ireland”. On the instant I was awake. “Louis” I called, “Skip the Surf & Turf, I want to make a phone call.”
There was someone I knew in the Irish Catholic media office. I had once done a bit of work for him. Would he remember me? Of course he did. Which is how I managed to be there among the pack on a golden morning in Dublin’s Phoenix Park as the Man from Poland, now Pope John Paul 2 came into sight in my 400 mm.
Those crazy couple of days with the late Jo Clemson, chasing around Ireland in a battered Fiat, are still with me. Not just a bunch of carefully filed transparencies, but a memory in the heart. Memories of great excitement, great promise, great hope. Memories of an actor at work: a Pope who knew how to play his audience, and knew how to smile. This Pope was alive.
Well now he’s dead. And somehow his going from us was as memorable as the sight of him on that misty morning in Galway or on that sweltering day in Wembley stadium or among the raucous young people in Cardiff. If I’m honest, some of that early promise has not worked out as I had hoped. But in the manner of his leaving us John Paul has done it again. Once he taught us how to love life. Now he’s taught us how to leave it.
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IMPRESSIONS
Present Feelings: “Great sadness but gratitude too that such a wonderful man led the Church for so many years.” Doreen Maynard Prendergast – Seascale
Others: “Muslim friends have been very concerned and very respectful about the Pope. They have asked questions about our faith.” Rev Chris Barwise - Preston
Dying Days: “the press did him proud”. T Gregory Turner, Carlisle
The Future: “The new Pope will need to be as good a communicator, as John Paul 2”
Lasting Memory: “unflaggin and unwavering, despite public opinion and huge oppositon” - Kathleen Dover, USA.
Looking On: “A good workman laying down his tools and going home,” Georgina Protheroe Beynon- Seascale
Image: “Yes he was all ours. He truly was a people’s Pope.” Trisha Duffy, Lytham
Personal Summary: “I became a Catholic in 1979. He was the only Pope I have known. His leadership was inspirational.” Lesley Seargant - Blackpool
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