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'A voice for poor, a noble witness' The Albany Province of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, whose headquarters are in Latham, mourn the loss of Pope John Paul II. As the third-longest-serving pontiff in our Church history, Pope John Paul II brought unshakable faith and a spirit of hope to all his undertakings. As a community of women religious in the Catholic Church and in the Albany Diocese, we laud Pope John Paul II especially for his commitment to justice, his ability to be a voice for the poor and his love of youth. Pope John Paul II's strong commitment to justice called him to be an ardent voice for peace and to reach out to other faiths in search of reconciliation. We remember his travels to Islamic countries, becoming the first pope to set foot in a mosque. We remember his travels to the Holy Land, where he begged forgiveness for the mistakes of the Catholic Church toward people of the Jewish faith. We remember his words to President Bush and Prime Minister Blair, speaking out against the war in Iraq, trying in vain to persuade the United States and Britain to hold back from military action. Pope John Paul's ability to be a voice for the poor has challenged world leaders. We remember the many times he spoke out against unjust structures and oppressive conditions worldwide, trying to build a civilization in which the inherent dignity of every human person, no matter how weak and vulnerable, is respected. We remember his calling service to the poor an absolute Gospel imperative. Pope John Paul II's love of youth was tangibly evident whenever he saw a child. We remember his many words encouraging young people to live the Gospel message and reach out in a spirit of evangelization to their peers. We remember his working tirelessly to end violence to children of all ages whether in the form of abortion, human trafficking, sexual abuse, poverty, hunger, disease or prostitution. As Sisters of St. Joseph, we join people of faith today in thanksgiving for the life and service of Pope John Paul II, whose humble, unpretentious acceptance of suffering was a noble witness to all of us. We pray that the Spirit will guide the selection of the new pope. (4/7/05) |