Saturday, October 16, 2004
Happy Anniversary!
One year ago, as he celebrated Mass on the 25th anniversary of his pontifical election, John Paul II prayed to God "that everything will be accomplished according to your will." In his homily at that anniversary Mass in 2003, although he spoke with a shaky voice, the Holy Father laid to rest the current rumors that he might resign from the papacy.
One year later, as he marks his 26th anniversary on October 16, John Paul remains active, in spite of his deteriorating health. He has no special plans for anniversary celebrations. Instead, he is preparing to open the Year of the Eucharist with a Mass on October 17.
On his 25th anniversary, the Pontiff spoke candidly about his physical limitations, saying that he was doing his best to respond to the demands of each new day, leaving his own future in God's hands. He said: "Since the start of my pontificate, my thoughts, my prayers, and my actions have all been driven by a single desire: to bear witness that Christ, the Good Shepherd, is present and working in his Church."
Although many Vatican-watchers have doubted his capacity to continue as leader of the universal Church, John Paul II has continued to astonish the world, filling an active schedule for his 26th year. Long after journalists declared that he would never be able to travel again, the Pope undertook two trips abroad: to Switzerland in June and France in August. He also traveled twice across Italy: to the Alps for his summer vacation, and to Loretto, on the Adriatic coast, to join in a Catholic Action pilgrimage in September.
The Pope's weakness has forced a sharp cutback in his public appearances. He no longer visits the parishes of the Rome diocese, and although he invited the clergy and faithful of several parishes to come to the Vatican to meet with him, those meetings were stopped in March. He has dropped a few traditional ceremonies from his calendar, such as the baptism of infants and ordination of new bishops in January. But he has presided at all of the principal ceremonies of the liturgical year, including the Easter Triduum and Christmas Masses, and the Urbi et Orbi blessings that follow. He also presided at the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday in the Roman Coliseum, and the Corpus Christi procession through the streets of Rome. The Polish Pontiff led six beatification ceremonies during his 26th year; he has now beatified 1,342 people, and canonized 483 new saints. And last October, shortly after his silver-anniversary celebration, he held a consistory to elevate 31 new members to the College of Cardinals.
His speech is now halting, and he ordinarily reads only a portion of his prepared messages during public appearances, leaving aides to deliver the remainder of the text. But the Pope continues to produce a steady flow of written work. On his 84th birthday, May 19, he published a new book with the evocative title Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way, about his experience as a bishop; another new book, Memory and Identity, based on correspondence with an old Polish friend, is due to appear early in 2005. The Roman Curia has produced significant texts which the Holy Father approved-- such as Redemptionis Sacramentum (doc), promulgated by the Congregation for Divine Worship in april 2004; and the Letter to Bishops on the Collaboration of Men and Women, promulgated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in July of this year. And the Pontiff himself produced his annual Letter to Priests on Holy Thursday, and his 44th apostolic letter, Mane Nobiscum Domine, inaugurating the Year of the Eucharist, at the beginning of October.
John Paul II remains a forceful figure on the international scene; during the year he has met with government leaders like US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has led a vigorous-- albeit unsuccessful-- effort to include a reference to Christianity in the constitution of the European Union.
The Pope has continued to emphasize ecumenical work, hosting the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, in Rome in June; and making a powerful gesture of reconciliation by returning the prized icon of Our Lady of Kazan to the Russian Orthodox Church in August.
On March 14 of this year, the pontificate of John Paul II became the 3rd-longest in the history of the Church-- following only those of Pope Pius IX and St. Peter himself. Although there is no question that age and disease have severely weakened him, he has made it clear that he plans to carry out his duties to the end-- to "die in public view," as one sympathetic observer put it.
Now John Paul II is praying that the Year of the Eucharist will bring a "special time of grace" to the Church as he begins his 27th year on Peter's throne.
One year later, as he marks his 26th anniversary on October 16, John Paul remains active, in spite of his deteriorating health. He has no special plans for anniversary celebrations. Instead, he is preparing to open the Year of the Eucharist with a Mass on October 17.
On his 25th anniversary, the Pontiff spoke candidly about his physical limitations, saying that he was doing his best to respond to the demands of each new day, leaving his own future in God's hands. He said: "Since the start of my pontificate, my thoughts, my prayers, and my actions have all been driven by a single desire: to bear witness that Christ, the Good Shepherd, is present and working in his Church."
Although many Vatican-watchers have doubted his capacity to continue as leader of the universal Church, John Paul II has continued to astonish the world, filling an active schedule for his 26th year. Long after journalists declared that he would never be able to travel again, the Pope undertook two trips abroad: to Switzerland in June and France in August. He also traveled twice across Italy: to the Alps for his summer vacation, and to Loretto, on the Adriatic coast, to join in a Catholic Action pilgrimage in September.
The Pope's weakness has forced a sharp cutback in his public appearances. He no longer visits the parishes of the Rome diocese, and although he invited the clergy and faithful of several parishes to come to the Vatican to meet with him, those meetings were stopped in March. He has dropped a few traditional ceremonies from his calendar, such as the baptism of infants and ordination of new bishops in January. But he has presided at all of the principal ceremonies of the liturgical year, including the Easter Triduum and Christmas Masses, and the Urbi et Orbi blessings that follow. He also presided at the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday in the Roman Coliseum, and the Corpus Christi procession through the streets of Rome. The Polish Pontiff led six beatification ceremonies during his 26th year; he has now beatified 1,342 people, and canonized 483 new saints. And last October, shortly after his silver-anniversary celebration, he held a consistory to elevate 31 new members to the College of Cardinals.
His speech is now halting, and he ordinarily reads only a portion of his prepared messages during public appearances, leaving aides to deliver the remainder of the text. But the Pope continues to produce a steady flow of written work. On his 84th birthday, May 19, he published a new book with the evocative title Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way, about his experience as a bishop; another new book, Memory and Identity, based on correspondence with an old Polish friend, is due to appear early in 2005. The Roman Curia has produced significant texts which the Holy Father approved-- such as Redemptionis Sacramentum (doc), promulgated by the Congregation for Divine Worship in april 2004; and the Letter to Bishops on the Collaboration of Men and Women, promulgated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in July of this year. And the Pontiff himself produced his annual Letter to Priests on Holy Thursday, and his 44th apostolic letter, Mane Nobiscum Domine, inaugurating the Year of the Eucharist, at the beginning of October.
John Paul II remains a forceful figure on the international scene; during the year he has met with government leaders like US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has led a vigorous-- albeit unsuccessful-- effort to include a reference to Christianity in the constitution of the European Union.
The Pope has continued to emphasize ecumenical work, hosting the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, in Rome in June; and making a powerful gesture of reconciliation by returning the prized icon of Our Lady of Kazan to the Russian Orthodox Church in August.
On March 14 of this year, the pontificate of John Paul II became the 3rd-longest in the history of the Church-- following only those of Pope Pius IX and St. Peter himself. Although there is no question that age and disease have severely weakened him, he has made it clear that he plans to carry out his duties to the end-- to "die in public view," as one sympathetic observer put it.
Now John Paul II is praying that the Year of the Eucharist will bring a "special time of grace" to the Church as he begins his 27th year on Peter's throne.
