[Vision2020] Amen

[Donovan Arnold]

“Amen”, that was the last word of the late Pope John Paul II as he lifted 
his head toward the window of his apartment as his soul exited this world 
and passed into the next. On the other side of that window were millions of 
people, not just Catholics, which saw him as their leader.

Pope John Paul II was not a perfect man, but he was a wonderful man that 
loved everyone. He was controversial, and challenged people on the right and 
the left. He opposed the gulf wars, the death penalty, and the mistreatment 
of people in third world nations. But he also opposed abortion and marriage 
for homosexuals. Many people can easily find something to disagree on with 
this man. People can find lots of things to condemn the past Pontiff for and 
complain about and his lack of action on so many issues. But hopefully, 
instead of being angry at his inability to solve all the world’s problems, 
they will just cherish him for the ones he did.

Pope John Paul II was not a political leader for me. But he was a spiritual 
leader for me. He showed me, as he showed the world, how to live, how to 
love, how to respect, how to believe, how to suffer, and now so importantly, 
how to die.

I hope and pray that people will not fail to learn what he has taught 
because they are unable to see past their theological differences. They 
would be giving up so much.

Thank you, John Paul II. Thank you for your gifts, gifts that his world will 
forever receive.

One of my favorite photos of him:

http://www.uic.edu/orgs/newman/images/pope_fast.jpg

Amen,

Donovan J Arnold
Catholic