Remembering the Pope

Fraxinus · April 01, 2005, 05:26:40 PM

I remember that this Pope in his younger days liked to ski. Do you suppose that's where the phrase "The Schuss of the Fisherman" came from?

jjmk98k · April 02, 2005, 10:43:44 PM

yes, let us all remember....

when I was very young, anytime i heard the Pope John Paul...., I thought HE was god ;)

Mark M · April 02, 2005, 11:24:48 PM

I liked this Pope. I saw a show the other day about him and I didn't know it but he played a major role in ending communism and did many other good things, not just for Catholics.

Jeff · April 02, 2005, 11:37:24 PM

There are many stories about this pope that were astounding. From helping Jews from the concentration camps (story of carrying one Jewish woman on his back for 3 miles to saftey today on one of the news networks.)

This next link is not meant to be disrespectfull of the pope. I read of the silver hammer years ago just after the failed assasination attempt. I found it very interesting, but strange. I just did a search and found a new reference to what I had read about years ago.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,152243,00.html

Coon · April 02, 2005, 11:39:18 PM

Pope John Paul rests in Peace. Let him be remebered and live on in our memories for he is a first. First one that I knew of who could speak fluently in 7 different languages. First religous rolemodel to do the many things that he did for the world. :'( smiley_reading_book

UNCLEBUCK · April 03, 2005, 01:08:28 AM

I am a lutheran from minnesota and my fiance is a catholic from detroit . I never knew anything about being catholic until we met . I am going to be a catholic and I think I will like it and it is sad to watch the news of the pope but he sure was a educated man , 28 languages he spoke fluently . The vatican buildings are so impressive to see on t.v. .They are huge . The more I hear about the pope the more interested I am . :'(

asy · April 03, 2005, 01:30:24 AM

Quote from: UNCLEBUCK on April 03, 2005, 01:08:28 AM
I am a lutheran from minnesota and my fiance is a catholic from detroit . I never knew anything about being catholic until we met . I am going to be a catholic and I think I will like it and it is sad to watch the news of the pope but he sure was a educated man , 28 languages he spoke fluently . The vatican buildings are so impressive to see on t.v. .They are huge . The more I hear about the pope the more interested I am . :'(

I'll make no comment on the religeous side of things, but just a small point, he spoke 8 languages. Not 7 and certainly not 28.

asy :D

UNCLEBUCK · April 03, 2005, 01:51:20 AM

tom brokaw and tim russert of nbc news both said the pope spoke 28 languages fluently . you can comment all you like asy , lets hear what your thoughts are about the pope .I found him a fascinating man . :P

asy · April 03, 2005, 06:12:47 AM

Quote from: UNCLEBUCK on April 03, 2005, 01:51:20 AM
tom brokaw and tim russert of nbc news both said the pope spoke 28 languages fluently . you can comment all you like asy , lets hear what your thoughts are about the pope .I found him a fascinating man . :P

Hiya Buck...

Wow, finding it in print from a 'reputable source' (ie: not mainstream media) was difficult, but here it is:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week831/special.html

Quote:
Karol Wojtyla was born in Poland in 1920, and learned first hand about oppression and tragedy. His mother, his brother, and his father all died by the time he was 21, but he grew up brilliant, charming, and athletic, strong enough to work in a stone quarry, and with talent as an actor and poet.
Under first the Nazi occupation, and then Communist rule, Wojtyla became a priest, studying in an underground seminary, and then a professor, with doctorates in both philosophy and theology. He was fluent in eight languages. Wojtyla rose quickly in the Church, became a cardinal, then Archbishop of Krakow. He was elected pope in 1978 -- the first Polish pope in history, the first non-Italian in 450 years.

He was, no doubt, a fascinating man.

And just for some fun, I also found a "Pope Quiz"... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3197426.stm

asy :D

Corley5 · April 03, 2005, 09:40:54 AM

I'm not Catholic but always thought that John Paul II was a very good man. I remember well when he became Pope. My mother told me to pay attention to what was going on as the election of a Pope didn't happen very often. I was nine years old when John Paul I was chosen. He didn't last very long :(, the process started over again and John Paul II was elected. I remember all the snickering about the Polish Pope ;) ;D :

. He quickly proved himself when he went to Poland, met with Lech Walesa and showed his support for the Solidarity Movement. The World has lost a truly great man.

Paschale · April 03, 2005, 09:56:42 AM

The world was a better place because of this man. Henry Kissinger said about him that he's the single most important figure in the history of the 20th century, and many people have said that if you split the century in two, then Winston Churchill is the most important figure in the first half, and the Pope in the second. I don't believe communism would have fallen as quickly if it weren't for him. I heard a neat story last night about JPII and Reagan. Apparently, even before Reagan was in office, he watched the Pope visit Poland for the first time. Seeing all of those Poles standing there, listening to the Pope tell them to not be afraid, even in the midst of living in a Communist country, caused Reagan to shed some tears. He said to his assistant, "there's now a cancer in Communism, and it's this Pope. Communism will fall first in Poland." When Reagan came into power, he forged a strong relationship with JPII, and they even shared intelligence information between the two of them, with William Casey of the CIA going over there several times. Reagan upped the USA's support for the Solidarity movement, and the pope continued to put overt and covert pressure on the USSR. The rest is history. One commentator said yesterday that without Solidarity, which happened due to Lech Walensa and the Pope, Communism would not have fallen in Poland.

We all owe this great man much, and he'll be sorely missed. :'(

Mark M · April 03, 2005, 10:34:46 AM

Uncle Buck I think you are thinking about a few years ago when the Pope gave a service at Christmas or Easter (can't remember which) and he gave a greeting in 28 (or more) languages.