In memoriam
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessèd art thou amongst women,
And blessèd are the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Kinh Kính Mừng
Kính mừng Maria đầy ơn phúc,
Đức Chúa Trời ở cùng Bà,
Bà có phúc lạ hơn mọi người nữ,
Và Giê-su Con lòng Bà gồm phúc lạ.
Thánh Maria Đức Mẹ Chúa Trời,
Cầu cho chúng tôi là kẻ có tội,
Khi nay và giờ lâm tử.
Amen.
Pope John Paul II, may he rest in peace, had a special devotion to the Virgin Mary, just as the Vietnamese Catholics do. My mother recalls that, when the Pope visited the United States some time ago, he also visited a congregation of Vietnamese-Americans in Denver. Standing at a podium, he read a message in Vietnamese that commended them for their strong devotion to Mary, which the Pope has always promoted.
I didn’t have any first-hand experiences with the Pope, and most of you probably haven’t either, unless perhaps you’ve gone to World Youth Day. But I’d really like to know what all of you think about him, positive or negative.
Maybe to start the conversation going: I’m disappointed that the media is viewing the Papacy in such a secular, political light. Archbishop Pilarczyk apparently felt the same way during his press conference this afternoon. While the Vatican always has been involved in some amount of politics, I think it’s more appropriate to emphasize the spiritual significance of the Pope’s death, as opposed to the political significance.
That’s why, for example, the Papabili don’t always get the Papacy.
4/02/2005 @ 10:37 PM
Erin
Soo...here are my thoughts on the Pope...
I actually was lucky enough to have a live experience with the Pope. I went to Italy on a school trip, and saw him on 1-5-2005, not long ago at all. I truly consider that one of hte best days of my life. He was so amazing, such a fantastic person. We were in an audience hall, and whenever people would call out, he would just be beaming. It was amazing.
Anyway, Pope John Paul II has truly helped me in my faith life-aside from being a leader, he helped me truly see how important it is to be part of a universal church. Without him, I would probably be trying desperately to get my mom to let me go to a protestant church-but because of the Pope, I had a much better understanding of Catholicism, and its importance in my life. There's my two cents. If you're interested, I have a bunch of quotes by him on my xanga. (username broadwaygal). I know that's probably more than desired...but I'm passionate about the Pope and his impact on my life.
4/03/2005 @ 12:42 PM
David Stein
Greatest man of the modern world, beacon of truth and hope, a mystic, a man for all seasons, a special friend of young people, a figure of Christ, a visionary, an impeccable theologian. Champion of human life, courageously truthful in his moral teachings, steadfast in the face of opposition. Conqueror of communism. Enemy of injustice. Man of peace, architect of the Culture of Life. A diligent, prayerful, holy priest. A gentle, warm, wonderful man. Greatest saint of this age.
Pope John Paul -- the Great. May he never be forgotten.