The world has lost its treasure, the Catholics have lost their humble shepherd, the Vatican has lost its 264th successor St. Peter and we yet to retrieve from the sorrow of the loss of the great Pope john Paul II. John Paul II was a man of visions; visions which were true and strong, that led to the growth of the church. Born in Poland, he was a bishop and then rose to power as cardinal. He led the Catholic Church from 1978-2005.
John Paul II has indeed created a legacy behind him. In fact he was the first Pope to have steered Christianity in the right way against the arising trends of modernization and technological advancement. It is 26 years of papacy he has done a lot of things which were boldly extraordinary. His relationship with the youth, his efforts for the growth of the church, his tolerance towards other religions and groups, his efforts against the use of contraceptives and AIDS are just a few to mention.
Infect he taught his followers on the importance of church values. In 1981 when he was shot by a Turkish youth, he forgave him and visited him in prison. This shows how calm and loving natured he was. John Paul II was the first ever Pope to enter a mosque in 2000. it is indeed a great honour for me to tell you that I had the opportunity to see him at the XVII World Youth Day in 2002 at Toronto, Canada.
Even though our ever loving Pope John Paul II has finished his earthly life, still in remains with us through his ideas and principles. He has touched the lives of many youth in a very special way. Let us constantly pray for our dear Pope who has done so much for us and the church. “We Love you Pope John Paul II. You will always be there in our hearts forever!!”
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