George Weigel’s book: Witness to Hope mentions some of these classic moments:
mentions some of these classic moments:
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Created 07/21/09
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1. Visits would be assassin in Prison Following an assassination attempt, on December 27th 1983, John Paul II visited his would be assassin, Mehmet ali Agca, in his cell. Agca was amazed to find himself in prison and came to believe that the Pope’s survival and his imprisonment were down to a supernatural power (Weigel, p474).
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2. World Youth Day message in Denver “I come that they might have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10).” Pope John Paul surprisingly decided to hold the World Youth Day phenomenon in Denver in 1993. The American Bishops allegedly said to the Pope that they should hold it anywhere but Denver because the town was so secular. And guess where he decided to hold it: Denver!
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3. World meeting of Prayer in Assisi fosters inter-religious development The world day of prayer in Assisi was organised by Pope John Paul II in 1986. More than 120 representatives of different world religions and Christian denominations spent a day together with fasting and praying to their God or Gods.
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4. JP2 performs exorcism JP2 performed a number of exorcisms during his ministry including one in 2000 on a raging teenage girl.
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5. JP2 gives Wednesday audiences on ‘Theology of the body.’ During the first 5 years of his Pontificate, JP2 gave 129 lectures between 1979 and 1984 on the topic of human love in the divine plan. These themes were repeated throughout his pontificate.
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6. Visits Ireland with strong exhortation for peace JP2 visited Ireland in 1979 and delivered a powerful and personal plea against violence: “On my knees I beg you to turn away from the paths of violence and to return to the ways of peace… violence destroys the work you claim to love and the values you claim to cherish.” (Weigel, p345).
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7. Visits Poland and helps to bring about an end to communism JP2 visited Poland as Pope many times. One book by George Weigel, argues that JP2 played a crucial role in the collapse of European communism.
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8. Visits Jerusalem and asks for forgiveness for sins of Christians JP2 placed a prayer into the crevices of the Western (or Wailing) Wall, asking for God's forgiveness for "the behaviour of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer".
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9. JP2 addresses United Nations JP2 addressed the United Nations in both 1979 and 1995 in New York. In 1995 he said the following words, “We must not be afraid of the future. We must not be afraid of man. It is no accident that we are here. Each and every human person has been created in the "image and likeness" of the One who is the origin of all that is. We have within us the capacities for wisdom and virtue. With these gifts, and with the help of God's grace, we can build in the next century and the next millennium a civilization worthy of the human person, a true culture of freedom. We can and must do so! And in doing so, we shall see that the tears of this century have prepared the ground for a new springtime of the human spirit”
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10. The death of JP2 The funeral of JP2 was perhaps the largest in history. Almost all the world leaders were present and millions flocked to Rome to say goodbye. A queue miles longs formed with people wishing to see his body lie in state. His last words were: “Let me go to the house of the father.” He has been fondly remembered since. Calls of “Santo subito” (‘Saint immediately’) have been heard worldwide.
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