|
ALL THE WORLD WONDERS AFTER THE BEAST! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
"He that saith
unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall "But to them
that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good |
|
|
|
|
|
What Church Leaders Say About the Pope
"A Most Worthy Successor of the Humble Fisherman of Galilee"
* * *
Archbishop Sean O'Malley of
"In the Holy Year of 2000, the Holy Father called for all to 'Open Wide
the Doors to Christ,' to follow Christ not out of obligation but out of love.
Pope John Paul II's life mirrored this call as each day he opened himself to
being an instrument of unapologetic truth on moral and ethical issues facing
our culture. I pray that the Lord will grant grace upon grace to his faithful
servant and will welcome him into the eternal light and peace of God’s heavenly
kingdom."
--- --- ---
Cardinal Edward Egan, archbishop of New York
"He carried the Gospel into all corners of the world, proclaiming the
dignity of every human being, the rights of the poor, and the evils of war 'in
season and out of season.' In brief, he was a most worthy successor of the
humble fisherman of
--- --- ---
Cardinal Francis George, archbishop of
"Moral authority comes from office, but also from character. Karol Wojtyla
was a survivor of Nazi-occupied
--- --- ---
Archbishop Charles Chaput, archbishop of Denver
"Pope John Paul II embodied the greatest qualities of the Second Vatican
Council: a deep fidelity to Jesus Christ and his Gospel; profound confidence
and joy in the Catholic faith; an openness to the good in the world; fraternal
love for other Christians and the Jewish people; and a respect for all persons
of good will. He knew personal suffering throughout his life. He experienced
the cost of war, genocide and political oppression firsthand. These things
never dented his faith. They did the opposite. They led him more deeply into
the heart of God."
--- --- ---
Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of
"It was with deep sadness that I received the news of Pope John Paul II's
passing. It was also with gratitude to God for the gift of the Holy Father. He
will surely be remembered as the greatest spiritual leader of our time. His
entire life was an example of how to live out our faith, how to give witness to
the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Father gave himself completely in
service to Jesus and to the universal Church. In his final years, he suffered
from many physical ailments but he never allowed those pains and problems to
weigh down his spirit; his suffering was his final gift. He was an example to
us all of the value of human life at every stage of existence."
--- --- ---
Archbishop Brendan O'Brien, president of the Canadian bishops' conference
"Through both word and example he taught the strength of faith, the power
of prayer, the need to forgive, and the imperative of serving the poor and
oppressed of the world. His teachings will continue to guide the Church in the
years ahead in its mission of proclaiming the Reign of God."
--- --- ---
Caritas Internationalis
"Throughout his life, Pope John Paul II responded with compassion to the
problems of the world, and inspired us with his dedication to the people we
serve -- the poor, the hungry, the displaced and all those who cry out for
justice and an end to suffering. His words grace the walls of museums and slums
alike, inspiring both the wealthy and poor with his message of hope."
--- --- ---
Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of
"He has been a genuine man of the spirit, a true priest. His example and
teaching have encouraged orthodox Catholics everywhere to persevere. I
personally can vouch for that. He has inspired thousands, perhaps tens of
thousands, into the priesthood and religious life.
"Even in the West he has steadied the ship. If many were still resolved to
be irresolute, solid only for drift, there has been no doubt about where he is
heading. He has never lacked courage and courage is contagious. History will
know him as John Paul the Great. He has earned that distinction."
--- --- ---
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, archbishop of
"We have lost a great leader of our modern world. John Paul II was an
extraordinary man, one of the greatest popes in the Church's 2,000-year
history. We will remember him for his tireless witness to hope, to freedom, and
to the dignity of human life. We will remember him for his courage in reaching
across the boundaries of race, religion and ideology; we will remember him for
his energy, as well as for his courageous endurance of physical suffering right
until the end.
"John Paul II was always conscious of the drama of human salvation; he
reminded us, tirelessly, of our eternal destiny. He showed, in his own life,
how human beings are at their greatest and most free when they are most
obedient to God’s will. His was a light that burned most strongly wherever the
darkness was deepest. The Church will miss him. The world will miss him. I will
miss him."
--- --- ---
Archbishop Sean Brady, archbishop of
"He was a man of our time, yet not afraid to challenge the culture and
values of our age. He gave it reasons for living and reasons for hope. He was
also ahead of our time in his message of global solidarity, his vision of a
civilization of love among all the people and nations of the world, in his
respect for the human person and, to the very moment of his death, in his
powerful witness to the Gospel of life. He was in every sense a witness to hope
and a champion of life.
"The deep sense of peace and serenity which accompanied him into death,
was of course, rooted in his life of frequent prayer and contemplation,
particularly his prayer before the blessed sacrament. His deep and intimate
relationship with Christ was the source of his great calm and courage in the
face of so many challenges, not least the physical challenges of his later
years. He often repeated the words of Jesus, 'Do not be afraid.'"
--- --- ---
Italian bishops' conference
"We ask everyone to gather themselves in prayer so that the Pope, who from
the beginning of his pontificate invited us to open the doors to Christ, may
now receive the embrace of Him, the Lord of life, who he announced in such an
indefatigable way to all men and in every corner of the Earth. Our prayer
becomes also an expression of gratitude to God, for the extraordinary gift he
made to the Church and the world through the person and teachings of John Paul
II."
--- --- ---
Spanish bishops' conference
"We all owe him deep gratitude for his faithful and unconditional
dedication to the cause of the Gospel and to the mission received from Our Lord
to confirm his brothers in the faith. His abnegated apostolic service became
even more evident, if this were possible, in his suffering and sickness. Today,
Catholics in the whole world, thanks to his ministry, feel stronger in our
faith in Jesus Christ, more inspired by the hope of Glory and more decided in
the charity that makes us sons of God and brothers to all men."
--- --- ---
Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community
"As the Servant of the servants of God, Pope John Paul II was a pope of
universal vision in his teaching and in his pastoral outreach. He was a Pope
for the globalizing world; he proclaimed the universal message of Christ as the
source of true hope for humanity. His vision of human dignity -- rooted in the
person of Jesus Christ, in whom God lived, suffered, died and rose from the
dead -- was inextricably linked to the common good of all of humanity. Through
this vision he sought to build bridges between peoples everywhere. He took
particular pains to deepen ecumenical understanding between the Christian
confessions, as well as to promote and strengthen interfaith relations."
--- --- ---
Mexican bishops' conference
"The bishops of
--- --- ---
Cardinal Jaime Sin, retired archbishop of
"The Church has lost a Father and a Shepherd and I have also lost a
brother and a good friend."
--- --- ---
Archbishop Evarist Pinto, archbishop of
The Pontiff was a "beloved father and kind-hearted pastor, a charismatic
and dynamic leader, a champion for justice and human rights, the defender of
the poor and the oppressed."
--- --- ---
Bishop Joseph Zen of
"Farewell to a great and beloved world wide spiritual leader. To witness
to the truth is the fundamental mission of the Church ... the Holy Father
courageously preached the Gospel of life emphasizing the sacredness of marriage
and the importance of family. He defended each human life from conception to
its natural end. My feeling at this moment is one of deep gratitude and lofty
praise to the Lord. He worked marvels through this Pope from far off
"Dear Holy Father, now that you are with the Father in heaven, bless your
flock in
--- --- ---
Cardinal Jaime Ortega, archbishop of Havana
"This is a man who has carried the moral weight of the world for 26 years
… turning himself into the only moral reference for humanity in recent years of
wars and difficulties."
--- --- ---
Southern African Catholic bishops' conference
"With great sadness we mourn the death of John Paul II, while we are
profoundly grateful for the many results that the Lord our God has attained
through his tireless efforts to bring people closer to God and one closer to
the other."
ZE05040902
email
this article
TOP
What Leaders in Other Faiths Say
"An Extraordinary 'Lived Sermon' for Eastertide"
* * *
Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the
"No Pope did more for the Jews."
--- --- ---
New York Board of Rabbis
"We will lovingly remember his historic visits to the Great Synagogue in
Rome, a concentration camp in Auschwitz (Poland) and the Western Wall in Jerusalem,
as he stood with us in spiritual solidarity. Declaring anti-Semitism a sin
against God and humanity, the Pope repeatedly reminded the world that we could
never again remain silent while people perish because of their race or
religion."
--- --- ---
Rowan Williams, Anglican archbishop of Canterbury
"I think in these past few days, we've seen an extraordinary 'lived
sermon' for Eastertide, about facing death with honesty and courage; facing
death in the hope of a relationship which is not broken by death but continues
beyond it. Pope John Paul showed his character in the way in which he met his
death; clearly frustrated, clearly suffering, and yet at every point accepting;
facing his frailties and remaining courageous and hopeful. I feel there's a certain
appropriateness about the fact that he died within the Easter season -- a time
of the Church's year which meant so much to him. It has been a season in which
he was able to give a message to the whole of the Christian world, and in fact
to the whole human world, that won't be readily forgotten."
--- --- ---
Billy Graham,
Pope John Paul II was "unquestionably the most influential voice for
morality and peace in the world during the last 100 years. He was convinced
that the complex problems of our world are ultimately moral and spiritual in
nature, and only Christ can set us free from the shackles of sin and greed and
violence."
--- --- ---
Mark Hanson, president of the Lutheran World Federation
"Lutherans will always remember John Paul II as the pope who fostered an
unprecedented growth in Lutheran/Roman Catholic relations. Healing the wounds
laid bare during the 16th-century Reformation took on new meaning as the Joint
Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification was signed in 1999. We live in new
hope that the Spirit of the Living Christ will continue that work and bring
about an even stronger relationship between the two church bodies."
--- --- ---
Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberties
Commission
"He rallied the captive nations of
--- --- ---
The Reverend Frank Griswold, leader of the U.S. Episcopal Church
"Like the householder in the Gospel he was able to bring out of the
treasure of his own deep spirit things 'both new and old.' His voice and moral
authority gave inspiration and hope to millions well beyond the Roman Catholic
Church. His commitment to the unity of the church expressed itself in his
personal willingness to meet with representatives of other faith communities
and to invite those outside his own tradition to reflect on how the ministry of
the Bishop of Rome might be of greater service both in the cause of Christian
unity and the well-being of the world."
--- --- ---
Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals
"Pope John Paul II has stood with us strongly all over the free world in
defending heterosexual, monogamous marriage and defending the fact that a fetus
is a human being."
--- --- ---
Gregorius III Lahham, Greek Melkite patriarch of Damascus
The Pontiff was a "new John the Baptist" because like the original
one he was "a voice who cried in the desert to prepare the ways of the
Lord; he wiped hypocrisy and sin before our Risen Lord."
--- --- ---
The Dalai Lama
"In spite of increasing age and declining physical health, his relentless
efforts to visit different parts of the world and meet the people who lived
there to promote harmony and spiritual values, exemplified not only his deep
concern but also the courage he brought to fulfilling it."
--- --- ---
Patriarch Alexy II, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church
"Pope John Paul personally, and his works and ideas, have had a strong
impact on the world."
--- --- ---
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's
Orthodox Christians
"Pope John Paul II envisioned the restoration of the unity of the
Christians and he worked for its realization."
--- --- ---
Orthodox Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the
Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate
"The last days of John Paul II were marked by qualities, which have gained
him respect of all people. He endured his sufferings with strong faith, thus
making millions of people to admire his courage. I sincerely hope that his
memory will serve the cause of building up good relations between our Churches
and will be the pledge for overcoming the present difficulties. I pray to the
Lord Jesus Christ for the repose of the soul of His Holiness Pope John Paul
II."
--- --- ---
Pope Shenouda III, Coptic Church
"I would like to extend to you my most heartfelt sympathies on the death
of H.H. Pope John Paul II after he guided the Church throughout 26 years.
During this period he was highly respected and honored by the peoples of the
whole world. He was also highly praised for his personal qualities and his
participation in the ecumenical work and the relationship between the Catholic
Church and the rest of the churches of the world."
--- --- ---
Clifton Kirkpatrick, president, World Alliance of Reformed Churches
"We give thanks to God for the impact Pope John Paul II has made in his
lifetime as a leader. We give thanks for a ministry in which, as a priest,
bishop, and head of the Roman Catholic Church, he sought to bear witness to the
Gospel in the contemporary world."
--- --- ---
Catholicos
"His Holiness Pope John Paul II will remain an outstanding figure in the
modern history of world Christendom. In fact, his relentless effort to make the
Gospel of Christ a living reality in the life of people, his unyielding
prophetic witness to make the moral values the guiding principles of human
societies, his firm commitment to the cause of Christian unity, his openness to
other religions with a clear vision of living together as a reconciled
community in the midst of diversities, and his continuous advocacy for justice,
human rights and freedom made him an exceptional figure of great achievements.
As moderator of the World Council of Churches central committee and as the
Armenian Catholicos of Cilicia, I had the privilege to meet His Holiness on
different occasions and witnessed the strength of his faith, the depth of his
wisdom and the clarity of his vision."
--- --- ---
John Neill, Church of Ireland archbishop of Dublin
"His vision for the healing of the divisions of Christendom was lived out
at a difficult time on the ecumenical journey -- when we had passed beyond the
euphoria of the friendship arising from Vatican II -- and were at the more
difficult stage of looking at not only what unites, but trying to understand
somewhat more of what divides. It was often simply the friendship and warmth of
John Paul II that allowed differences to remain differences between brothers
and sisters in Christ -- family differences."
--- --- ---
Reverend Dr. Keith Clements, general secretary of the Conference of European
Churches
"For the churches and peoples of Europe John Paul II was a figure of
special significance. As a son of Poland he bore in his own life so much of the
most tragic experience of Europe in the twentieth century brought by war and
oppression, first under Nazi occupation and then under communist
totalitarianism. Equally, under these experiences he embodied the finest spirit
of European Christianity in refusing to compromise either his faith or his
humanity.
"As a leader of the Roman Catholic Church in
ZE05040903
World
Reaction to Papal Election
Well-Wishers for Benedict XVI
ROME,
-- World religious leaders --
Paul Spiegel, president of the Jewish association in
"I am sure that he will intensify the successful route toward
understanding between Christians and Jews to the benefit of both
religions."
--- --- ---
Nadeem Elyas, president of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany
He expressed the hope that the new Pope would continue the dialogue between
Christians and Muslims. "The cardinal was always John Paul II's right hand
and surely contributed much to the opening gaining this priority," the
chairman said. As Germans, Muslims were doubly happy about Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger's election, he said.
--- --- ---
Lutheran World Federation
"As Pope Benedict XVI prepares to assume his high spiritual and temporal
responsibilities, the Lutheran World Federation accompanies him with the prayer
that he will be given the grace to continue the ministry of his predecessors in
a process of steady renewal, for the benefit of the church universal, and of
humanity."
--- --- ---
Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches
"We give thanks to our common Lord Jesus Christ for granting the Roman
Catholic Church a new Bishop of Rome, known for his theological integrity and
ecclesial loyalty, his evangelical simplicity and pastoral sensitivity, a
successor to Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XV, both known as 'Primates of
peace.'
"Your election coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican
Council, the great beginning of the modern ecumenical journey within the Roman
Catholic Church.
"We pray to our common Lord Jesus Christ, asking that your Pontificate
constitute a time for the Roman Catholic Church to apply, in a renewed
commitment, the teachings and the spirit of ecumenical openness exemplified in
the Second Vatican Council to the life of her faithful and of the whole
Church."
--- --- ---
Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev, of
representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the European institutions
"What do I, as an Orthodox bishop living and serving in
"First of all, that the Catholic Church continues to preserve its
traditional doctrinal and moral teaching without surrendering to pressures from
the 'progressive' groups that demand the ordination of women, the approval of
the so-called 'same-sex marriages,' abortion, contraception, euthanasia, etc.
There is no doubt that Benedict XVI, who has already made his positions on
these issues clear, will continue to oppose such groups, which exist both
within the Catholic Church and outside it.
"Secondly, I hope that the new pontificate is marked by a breakthrough in
relations between the Roman Catholic and the
"I hope, next, that there will be a general amelioration in the relations
between the Catholic Church and the world Orthodoxy. In 2000 I represented the
Moscow Patriarchate at the session of the Joint Catholic-Orthodox Theological
Commission, which discussed the question of Uniatism. No agreement on this
issue was reached, and the discussion, which was full of frustration,
disappointment and bitterness on both sides, ended without a clear decision as
to whether the work of the commission would ever be resumed. I hope that under
the new pontificate the commission starts again, or that a new commission for
bilateral dialogue is formed in order to discuss Uniatism, primacy and other
theological and ecclesiological questions which still divide our
churches."
--- --- ---
Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia
"I hope that Your Holiness' time as Pope will see the development of
friendly relations between our Churches and the fruitful dialogue between the
Orthodox and the Catholics. I believe this to be one of Christendom's most
crucial tasks. Our Churches, with their authority and influence, must join
their efforts in preaching Christian values to the modern mankind. The secular
world, losing its spiritual guidelines, finds itself in unprecedented acute
need of our common testimony. I hope that Your Holiness' service will
contribute to the fulfillment of this task."
--- --- ---
Dr. Jonathan Sacks, chief rabbi of the
"We welcome the new Pope and wish him every success in the daunting
challenges that lie ahead. As a global leader in a global age, his voice will
be important in framing some of the great challenges of the 21st century."
--- --- ---
Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League
"We welcome the new papacy of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. From the Jewish
perspective, the fact that he comes from
"Having lived through World War II, Cardinal Ratzinger has great
sensitivity to Jewish history and the Holocaust. He has shown this sensitivity
countless times, in meetings with Jewish leadership and in important statements
condemning anti-Semitism and expressing profound sorrow for the Holocaust.
"In our years of working on improving Catholic-Jewish ties, ADL has had
opportunities to work with Cardinal Ratzinger. We look forward to continuing
that relationship."
--- --- ---
Rowan Williams, Anglican archbishop of
"His election is also of great significance to Christians everywhere. I
look forward to meeting him and working together to build on the legacy of his
predecessor, as we seek to promote shared understanding between our churches in
the service of the Gospel and the goal of Christian unity.
"He is a theologian of great stature, who has written some profound
reflections on the nature of God and the church. His choice of the name
Benedict suggests that he wants to connect his vision of the Church to the
monastic spirit of service and contemplation.
"He will be much in our prayers in the days and weeks ahead."
-- Civil testimonies --
Gerhard Schröder, German chancellor
"This is a great honor for
--- --- ---
Horst Köhler, president of
"That a compatriot has become pope fills us in
--- --- ---
George W. Bush, president of the
"He's a man of great wisdom and knowledge. He's a man who serves the Lord.
We remember well his sermon at the Pope's funeral in
--- --- ---
Kofi Annan, secretary-general of the United Nations
"His Holiness brings a wealth of experience to this exalted office. The
United Nations and the Holy See share a strong commitment to peace, social
justice, human dignity, religious freedom and mutual respect among the world's
religions."
--- --- ---
Jacques Chirac, president of
"I send Pope Benedict XVI my warmest congratulations and sincere good
wishes for the high mission that has just been entrusted on the head of the
Catholic Church."
--- --- ---
Silvio Berlusconi, prime minister of Italy
"I certainly express the feelings of all Italians, and am particularly
delighted, when I present Your Holiness with the warm and respectful homage of
the Italian government."
--- --- ---
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, prime minister of Spain
"Please receive in the name of the Spanish government and the people of
Spain our warmest congratulations for your election as Supreme Pontiff of the
Catholic Church and my best wishes for the papacy which you begin today."
--- --- ---
Thabo Mbeki, president of South Africa
"Pope Benedict XVI assumes leadership at a critical time in which the
world's collective wisdom and leadership including that of the religious
community is most important to face up to challenges of deepening poverty and
underdevelopment afflicting many people of the world."
--- --- ---
Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian leader
"We congratulate His Holiness and wish him every success. We hope the
strong and historic relations between
--- --- ---
Mary McAleese, president of
"The world responded in grief and wonder to the passing of John Paul II.
The election of his successor became the concern of very many people throughout
the world. You embody their hopes for greater unity among peoples and a more
just and caring human family. Your guidance and leadership amid the
complexities of modern life will be crucial."
--- --- ---
Jan Peter Balkenende, prime minister of the Netherlands
"I hope this pope will continue on the same path as John Paul II, that he
seeks dialogue with others, will fight for peace and democracy and against
poverty."
--- --- ---
Jose Socrates, prime minister of Portugal
"I express my sincere happiness to the Catholic Church for the choice of
the new pope." Socrates said he hopes "the Pope continues with the
ecumenical spirit" of his predecessor, considering "the dialogue
between important religions for world peace."
--- --- ---
Tony Blair, prime minister of the United Kingdom
"I offer Your Holiness, on the assumption of your high office,
congratulations and my very best wishes for the success of your pontificate. I
look forward to continuing our cooperation with the Holy See on issues of
international importance such as Africa and development."
--- --- ---
Pervez Musharraf, president of Pakistan
"I hope the Pope will help to bring harmony between the two worlds [Islam
and Christianity].
"The Pope can bring harmony to the way people think and perhaps create a
better environment to solve disputes between peoples."
--- --- ---
Vladimir Putin, president of Russia
"Russia is committed to continuing its constructive political dialogue and
interaction with the Holy See in the interest of solving global problems,
strengthening the values of goodness, justice and humanism."
--- --- ---
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, president of Brazil
The president of Brazil, the world's country with the biggest number of
Catholics, voiced hope the new pontiff would promote "peace and social
justice at the same time as reviving the spiritual and moral values of the
Church."
--- --- ---
Vicente Fox, president of Mexico
"I tell him that we are on his side, that we want to build and keep
growing this magnificent, extraordinary relationship that has been built
between our country and the Vatican."
ZE05042302
