pastoral visit of his holiness pope john paul ii

Beatification is the Catholic Church's official judgment that someone is in heaven and worthy of public veneration. It is the final step before being declared a saint. (See graphic here .)

"I had known him earlier and esteemed him, but for twenty-three years I was at his side and came to revere him all the more," Benedict said of his long collaboration with John Paul as the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the late pope's chief lieutenant. "My own service was sustained by his spiritual depth and by the richness of his insights. His example of prayer continually impressed and edified me: he remained deeply united to God even amid the many demands of his ministry."

The beatification of a pope – or any person for that matter – is a declaration that he led a heroic life of holiness. It is not a recognition of ecclesial or worldly accomplishments. Mother Teresa was beatified – also six years after her death – because of her personal holiness, not because of her service to the poor. Yet that service was rooted in and inexplicable apart from her life as a Christian disciple, so holiness and mission are essentially linked.

Consequently, the beatification of John Paul did mark the signature achievements of his nearly 27 years as pope: vanquisher of communism, restorer of Catholic confidence after the turbulent 1970s, missionary to the ends of the earth, defender of the sanctity of every human life, evangelizer of the young, and finally, the suffering servant who taught the world how to face death with true dignity, courage and peace.

Calling him a "titan" of history who turned back tides once thought irreversible, Benedict repeated the famous words of John Paul in his inaugural papal homily in 1978, on October 22 – the date fixed by Benedict to be the John Paul's liturgical feast day: "Be not afraid! Open wide the doors to Christ!"

Those words were everywhere in Rome – hung from Bernini's great colonnade, written on banners carried by young pilgrims, printed on t-shirts sold on the street.

"By his witness of faith, love and apostolic courage, accompanied by great human charisma, this exemplary son of Poland helped believers throughout the world not to be afraid to be called Christian, to belong to the Church, to speak of the Gospel," Benedict preached. "In a word: he helped us not to fear the truth, for the truth is the guarantee of liberty."

Amongst those to whom Blessed John Paul, as he is now known, gave courage were his fellow Poles, tens of thousands of whom came to Rome. And there were the young, with whom John Paul has a special friendship, teaching them that they should not be afraid of their faith, and that they were capable of so much more than the world expected of them. A prayer vigil on Saturday evening gathered some 200,000 in the Circus Maximus, and took on the spirit of John Paul's gatherings with young people – bringing back memories of World Youth Day in Toronto in 2002.

"He radiated a conviction, a confidence, a courage that a skeptical and frightened world craved," explained Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York on the occasion of the beatification. "And [the young] were among them, reluctant to commit their lives to a question mark, but itching to embrace an exclamation point!"

It fell to Pope Benedict – described by John Paul's longtime personal secretary as one who regarded the late pope with the "love of a son and of a brother" – to write this exclamation point of the life of John Paul. Theirs was a historic partnership, almost unprecedented in the papacy, and on Sunday it continued – a collaboration no longer in time, but now crossing the threshold of eternity.

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• Author: Father Raymond J. de Souza

Father Raymond J. de Souza, "Recognizing John Paul II's life of holiness." Holy Post (Canada) May 1, 2011.

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Reprinted with permission of the National Post and Fr. de Souza.

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The Enduring Legacy of John Paul II’s 1982 Visit to Britain

“For the first time in history,” said Pope St. John Paul II after he stepped off the airplane, “a Bishop of Rome sets foot on English soil.”

In 2022, the Church in Britain marks an important milestone in its long history: This May, it will be 40 years since the first visit of a pope to Britain.

And it almost didn’t happen.

There had been months of preparation, much debate and discussion in the media, elaborate rehearsals by choirs and cathedrals and Catholic organizations, the hiring of massive venues, including London’s famous Wembley Stadium — and then the Falklands war broke out, and the whole idea of a papal visit was called into question.

Most people in Britain knew little or nothing about the Falkland Islands, a small British colony in the South Atlantic. In April 1982, Argentinian forces invaded the Falklands, swept the small British garrison aside, and announced that the islands were now in Argentinian control.  Britain responded by sending a Royal Navy task force, and effectively the British were at war.

As part of the anniversary, I have been dipping into archives and discovering the inside story of the emergency meetings and messages that went back and forth between Britain and Rome as the crisis deepened and the papal visit was at risk of being abandoned. There must have been a great deal of prayer. Pope John Paul II, of course, led the prayers for peace, and British and Argentinian bishops were summoned to Rome, where he celebrated a Mass with them all. And then came the climax of the last-minute rescue operation to save the situation: He flew to Argentina for a swiftly arranged papal visit, before going on to Britain.

It was clear throughout that the Pope was not only neutral but that he was vigorously promoting peace: This was his consistent message, and it never wavered. On this basis, he was able to fly to London’s Gatwick Airport, where, as planned in detail over the previous months, a large crowd, drawn from Catholic parishes across Surrey and Sussex, had gathered to greet him. I was among that crowd. I remember the early-morning start and the excitement as we all arrived in a chartered bus, and then the wait at the airport, where the Duke of Norfolk — by long-established tradition Britain’s senior Catholic layman — greeted the Pope at the airport steps.

This was not, it was emphasized, an official visit. This was a pastoral visit of the Pope to Britain’s Catholics. So no formal representative of the queen was at the airport, and there were no government officials. There was music, and we sang a welcoming hymn. Then there were speeches — and the history was made. The Pope summed it up when he proclaimed , “For the first time in history, a Bishop of Rome sets foot on English soil.”

In its own way, the tragedy of the Falklands War — more than 800 men, British and Argentinian, would eventually lose their lives in the fighting — helped to create a situation where old antagonisms dating back to the Reformation in Britain seemed to dwindle away. The papal visit became a true opportunity for a message of peace and goodwill, with anti-Catholicism of the old sort somehow at variance with a general recognition of the needs of the modern era. The whole visit had, in any case, been planned with ecumenical goodwill in mind, and there were some powerful moments, notably at Canterbury Cathedral , where the Pope prayed with Anglicans at the site of the martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket.

And, yes, he did meet the queen — a courtesy visit, with tea at Buckingham Palace — with evident goodwill on both sides. Queen Elizabeth was wearing, I remember, a blue dress, and they were smiling and chatting as they emerged from the palace after tea. Postcards of the scene quickly became popular — I’ve still got mine.

The papal pilgrimage had the seven sacraments as its theme. At a packed Mass at Westminster Cathedral , the Pope baptized seven candidates of various ages, and then, after crossing the Thames at Lambeth Bridge, he arrived at St. George’s Cathedral, Southwark, which had been cleared of pews and filled with stretchers and wheelchairs bearing sick and disabled people from across Britain, and he administered the sacrament of the sick. And so it went on, across England and Wales and Scotland, with a penitential service, first Holy Communions, confirmations, ordinations and renewal of marriage vows. Vast crowds came, powerful moments of prayer experienced.

It was an unforgettable time. Looking back through the archives, something of the joy and excitement is still evident. So, too, are the changes since those days — the letters are typewritten (remember typewriters?) and there is just one reference to “a computer being installed” as a great innovation at one venue to store relevant information. Color photography relied entirely on film, paper and chemicals (some of the pictures have that curious greenish tinge that I remember well).  Fashions have, of course, changed: Ladies wore dresses, and there were even quite a lot of hats.

What did the papal visit achieve? A great deal. With its massive television coverage, it opened up an authentic vision of Catholic worship: from how Catholics pray to the centrality of the Eucharist. People saw what a baptism is and what is meant by the anointing of the sick. They saw the Pope as a bishop, a man in a white robe preaching about peace and the importance of family life and family prayer. Old notions of the Pope as a sinister foreign figure intent on imposing some sort of political rule were recognized as propaganda from a vanished era.

And that 1982 visit was followed, in the next century, by an official state visit by Pope Benedict XVI, where among much else, he addressed Parliament with a magnificent setting out of the respective roles of Church and state centered on a ringing call for true religious freedom. He led young people in a massive unforgettable night vigil of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in London’s Hyde Park, and he beatified John Henry Newman in a glorious Mass at Cofton Park on the outskirts of Birmingham.

The year 2022 sees another major milestone in Britain’s story: the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. She has always been clear in her commitment to the Christian faith and spoken of it as central to her life and service.

So much has changed in the 70 years of her reign. While there has been progress in fields that include health and general prosperity, there is also much that is cause for great sadness: Britain is a country with too much violent crime, many unhappy young people, a drug crisis, a worrying suicide rate, and a collapse in a general understanding of many basic moral values, including the value of human life itself.

But the Christian message is still on offer and is the message that holds the hope of renewal; and in a country with a long history, and a tradition of marking anniversaries and jubilees, 2022 brings scope for missionary activity on a new scale. We must pray the opportunity is taken up. A reminder of that historic papal visit four decades ago is part of that. 

• John Paul ii
• united kingdom
• great britain
• papal travels
• queen elizabeth ii

Joanna Bogle Joanna Bogle is the author of some 20 books, including several historical biographies and A Book of Seasons and Celebrations with information on traditions and customs marking the Church year. Her most recent book is John Paul II: Man of Prayer with colleague Clare Anderson, exploring the spiritual life of St. John Paul the Great. She broadcasts regularly with EWTN and initiated popular "Catholic History Walks" around London.

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John Paul II Brightens the Earth with His Holiness and Truth

Engaged so deeply in earthly human affairs and believing in each persons’ goodness, John Paul seems to be calling us from heaven with a special request for solidarity of those who live on earth, and those living, though yet unborn.

Being a significant thinker and a moral conscience to the world, Karol Wojtyla—who from 1978 to 2005 was known as Pope John Paul II—provided a clear diagnosis of the moral sickness of man in modern society. At the same time, he drafted a long-term outline for the spiritual and moral renewal that he consequently implemented into the practice of the Church’s life, through all 27 years of his papacy, despite the criticism he faced.

Based on his philosophy that the human being is the pillar of society on its most fundamental level, John Paul II began to strongly promote the concept of “personhood” in the modern world. He reminded us that each human life is sacred, and that men are characterized by a free will and a conscience, both granted by God.

In his first pastoral visit to America, during his homily at Mass on the Washington Mall on October 7, 1979, John Paul said the following words: “I do not hesitate to proclaim before you and before the world that all human life—from the moment of conception and through all subsequent stages— is sacred, because human life is created in the image and likeness of God.” He then strongly underlined his point:  “We will stand up and proclaim that no one ever has the authority to destroy unborn life …” (Homily, No. 3 & 6).

The two most important factors by which the human being is characterized are conscience and freedom. Some people recognize conscience as an “inner voice” in the human heart based on natural moral law, by which a person is able to distinguish good from evil, and truth from fallacy. This is a proper understanding, but John Paul II expands upon this definition of the conscience by adding that it is the “most secret core” and our innermost “sanctuary” in which we are “alone with God” to listen to his voice (Tyburski 95). Our conscience, the inner voice from God in every human heart, is the foundation of Christian morality. However, John Paul strongly underlines that “conscience is no lawmaker.” Conscience itself does not create norms, but discovers them from God’s laws.

John Paul II was aware that in the modern secular world, many people have disfigured their consciences, and have false philosophies of human freedom, because of the crisis of truth. It is very clear to John Paul II that contemporary ethical relativism leads to a false liberty of moral choices.  He states that human conscience must be properly formed on the basis of objective moral norms flowing from God’s law. He points to the fact that the human conscience is constantly threatened by the dangers of error. Therefore, he reminds us of the fundamental words of Jesus:  “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn 8:32).

Knowing about current moral relativism, John Paul II expresses serious concern for human beings, especially the unborn. He writes the following in his encyclical, The Gospel of Life : “Abortion and euthanasia are thus crimes which no human law can claim to legitimize. There is no obligation in conscience to obey such laws; instead there is a grave and clear obligation in conscience to oppose them by conscientious objection” (Tyburski 106). At this point, we must ask ourselves a rhetorical question: who allows the people permission to establish human laws that directly oppose the laws of God? As John Paul informs us in the prior quotation, no person or government has the authority to end human lives.   

The Marches for Life, which are organized across the globe, show that many people, and not only Catholics, accept the truth that human life is sacred. This year, on January 22, 2014, in Washington, D.C., Giovanna Rivero, representing young ladies of the Latino community, exclaimed: “We are the Pro-Life Generation! We are against the Culture of Death!” It is a great tragedy that since January 22, 1973, when the Supreme Court legalized abortion in America, “1,500,000 to 2,000,000 babies are aborted annually” (Wilson 1).

Having been a laborer in both a chemical factory and a quarry during Nazi occupation, and later, through his working as a priest, bishop, professor, and pope, Karol Wojtyla became familiar with a wide variety of forms of human labor. In his first social encyclical, On Human Work , he wrote that human work is an essential key to the entire social question. John Paul knew that human work can either be the source of men’s ennoblement, or their degradation. He was very concerned about the dignity of workers and just wages. He also believed in the moral virtue of work and in its eternal aspects.  He taught that each form of human work must be treated with dignity because the subject of labor is always a human being, who has the right to grow, to improve, and to ultimately be fulfilled through his work. Man has to subdue the earth and dominate it as he was directed by God (Gn 1:28). John Paul teaches that if the worker is treated as a person, he finds a joy in his work that allows him the chance for self-realization. He warns that workers should never be treated as objects, nor their labor as a commodity to be bought and sold. The pope promotes the principal that work is “for man,” rather than man is “for work.”

The other important aspect of John Paul’s concern about workers is the principle of the priority of labor over capital. He underlines that employers cannot abuse the worker, because the person is more important than an impersonal factory or some other form of property. The same idea was developed over 150 years ago by American president, Abraham Lincoln. During his address to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1859, he said: “Work existed before capital and is independent from it. Capital is only a result of work, and it would never appear if there would not exist the work before it. Work is more important than the capital and it deserves far more favor” (Lincoln 1).

These issues of capital and labor, as well as employers and employees, have strict connections to the ownership of wealth. Aware that tens of thousands of human beings are dying every day because of starvation, and that 2.5 billion of the current global population live on $2.00 or less per day, John Paul criticized a “rigid” capitalism, and was convinced that it must undergo a series of revisions. He was sad to know that the universal destination of goods, and the option for the poor, which have always been promoted by Catholic social teachings, were being ignored. An illustration of that fact is demonstrated by statistics. The World Institute for Development of Economic Research at the United National University reports that the richest one percent of adults alone owned 40 percent of global assets in the year 2000, while the richest 10 percent of adults accounted for 85 percent of total global assets. The bottom half of the world’s adult population owned only one percent of global wealth.

John Paul II was the only pope since the first social encyclical, Rerum Novarum , (issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891), who accepted and promoted a free market system of capitalism. However, the prior statistics about the uneven possession of earthly wealth lead to a sad reflection, not only for the pope, but also for all human beings who still have a sensitive and compassionate heart towards the poorest countries, and their hungry citizens. Social justice cannot be described by great philosophical theories, and it should seemingly be common sense that those who have enough, or those who have a surplus, of earthly possessions, should share with those who have only a little or nothing. God our Father created Mother Earth to justly nourish all of her children, rather than for a few to hoard material surpluses while many starve.

Social injustice does not exist solely within the levels of the government, nor is it only about the greed of the wealthy. Instead, social injustice lies within every person who locks away inner spirituality, love, truth, and simple honesty towards others. In a poem called “Personalism,” Walt Whitman said: “If America’s fall and its extinction are possible, it could happen by internal factors and not by external enemies” (Huggard 275). Similarly, the individual may be destroyed only from within, rather than by the external pressures of the modern world.

Pope John Paul II, who has inspired millions, unmasks the Culture of Death in his encyclical, The Gospel of Life . He said that those individuals or groups who kill defenseless unborn human beings and justify their crimes as a “natural right” have essentially no link to truth. Engaged so deeply in earthly human affairs and believing in each persons’ goodness, John Paul seems to be calling us from heaven with a special request for solidarity of those who live on earth, and those living, though yet unborn. We cannot say “no” to his request because he is calling to us now as St. John Paul II.  In his own words, expressed while he was still on earth:

Do not be afraid! The Gospel is not against you, but for you … The Gospel of hope does not disappoint! Throughout the vicissitudes of your history, yesterday and today, it is the light that illumines and directs your way … it is a sign of a new beginning; it is the invitation to everyone, believers, and nonbelievers alike … to make (the world) a true common home filled with the joy of life. (Weigel 341)

  Works Cited

Holy Mass at the Capital Mall. Homily of His Holiness John Paul II. Washington, DC, Sunday, October 7, 1979, No. 3 & 6. 215 Hill Street, Boonton, NJ 07005. Web. March 21, 2014.

Tyburski, Zbigniew. Encyclicals of John Paul II: Foundations of Catholic Faith and Morality. Sapientia Press of Ave Maria University, 2011, p. 95.

Ibid, p.106.

Wilson, Greg. “Abortion America’s # 1 Killer.”   215 Hill Street, Boonton. Web. January 22, 2014.

Lincoln, Abraham. “Excerpt of Lincoln’s Speech on Free Labor vs. Slave Labor.” St. Joseph Seminary, Yonkers, NY 10704. Web. April 3, 2013.

Huggard, William A. “Whitman’s Poem of Personalism.” Personslist 28: July 1947, p. 275. St. Joseph Seminary, Yonkers. Web. April 3, 2013.

Weigel, George. The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II—the Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy. Image Books, New York, 2010, p. 341.

Fr. Zbigniew Tyburski, PhD, is a priest of the Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, and an adjunct professor of the Catholic Social Teachings of Blessed John Paul II, at Seton Hall University.

Catholic writing has to get beyond 100% papal adulation….but would doing so jeopardize career movement for these writers? It’s baffling. That’s one Providential function of Pope Francis. He has conservative bloggers finally abandoning the implied pan infallibility that festooned papal commentary writing during the previous two papacies.

That JPII was a prophet sent to us by the Holy Spirit for the time in which he lived has been proven by the good fruit which his pontificate continues to produce. This article is helpful in that it highlights only a few of those good fruits which, because of memories corrupted by individual bias, we tend to easily forget.

I think we use the word prophet very loosely. In 1985 , he appointed as urged a Bishop Quinn to look into the sex abuse reality in the US. So he knew about it in 1985, yet a prophet would have known it would spread to another 25 countries and cost billions worldwide and cost intelligent conversions worldwide going forward forever. His and the catechism’s extremely-rarely necessary theory of death penalties will get murder victims killed for centuries to come if the U.S. Supreme Court is correct in its 1976 note that executions deter not passion murders but premeditated murders. Look at Mexico which has no death penalty and drug cartel members numbering over 100,000 who in one instance, left a prison to do a murder and then returned to prison. In another instance, cartel members entered a Mexican prison and machine gunned rivals in their cells as guards cooperated with them ( or they and their loved ones would be slaughtered). Mexico is the second largest Catholic population on earth and the catechism describes perfectly running prisons worldwide in ccc 2267. Brazil is the largest Catholic population and has no death penalty and open air daylight drug markets in Rio in sections where police don’t go. Like Mexico it has a murder rate above 20 per 100,000 which puts both in the top 25 worst countries for murder. Honduras and El Salvador are heavily Catholic and the two worst murder rate countries on earth…no executions.. How did a prophet then proceed to state that life sentences alone were protecting society when Catholic countries contradict his purely mental concept that never mentions any real countries at all. As Cardinal Dulles once pointed out: God gave over 34 death penalties in the Bible while there were life sentences in slavery…see Leviticus 25:44-47.

There isn’t a definition for ‘prophet’ that includes ‘perfect’. Nor is perfection a qualification for sainthood. God uses imperfect vessels because, unfortunately, that’s all He has. So He chose Moses, the greatest of the prophets, who messed up so much he didn’t make it into the Promised Land. JPII once quipped to a nun who said she was worried about His Holiness (not getting enough rest) that he was “worried about my holiness too.” So he (& any other saint worth their salt) would be the first to admit that they “are who they are through the grace of God.” Period. Listing a litany of his shortcomings in no way changes that fact.

Thereserita, Check….Moses was excluded from the promised land according to God for only one offence….striking the rock twice instead of once in order to bring forth water for the people. See Numbers chapter 20. Similarly God killed Uzzah for one offence….touching the ark in order to steady it.

[…] Rebecca Oas PhD, Cthlc Lane Pope Francis’s Third Way – Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Aleteia St JP2 Brightens the Earth w/His Holiness & Truth – Fr. Z. Tyburski PhD Pope Francis Reflects on His Holy Land Voyage – Edward Pentin Catholic […]

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Jimmy Carter

Visit of pope john paul ii white house statement..

President Carter welcomed His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the White House October 6, 1979. The Pope's visit to Washington concluded an historic week-long papal journey to six American cities.

In their private talks, the President and the Pope discussed, in particular, situations of concern to world peace and justice. They also reviewed ways of best serving the cause of peace, freedom, and justice in the world.

Sharing the belief that respect for human rights and the dignity of the individual must be the cornerstone of the domestic and international policies of nations, the Pope and the President underlined their support for international covenants on human rights and for international organizations and entities which serve the cause of human rights. They agreed that the international community must mobilize its concern and resources to deal with the problems of refugees, to protect human rights, and to prevent hunger and famine.

The President and the Pope urged all states to support humanitarian efforts to deal with the plight of starving people and refugees.

The Pope and the President agreed that the cause of peace in the world is served by international efforts to halt the proliferation of armaments and to eliminate the weapons of war.

The President discussed the importance of the Camp David accords and his efforts to end the bitter conflict in the Middle East. He emphasized the determination of the United States to seek a comprehensive peace, including resolution of the Palestinian and Jerusalem questions, the establishment of peace and stability in Lebanon, and genuine security for all countries in the Middle East. The Pope reiterated the special interest which the Holy See attaches to the Middle East peace process and to the need for an internationally acceptable solution to these grave problems.

The Pope and the President discussed the tragic situation in Northern Ireland. They jointly condemned resort to violence, by any party for any reason, and recalled the appeals which both have recently made for a peaceful solution.

The Pope reviewed his trips to Poland and to Mexico and stressed the universal longing for human dignity and freedom, which he had encountered during his pilgrimage.

The President and the Pope also discussed recent developments in southern Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The President noted that the United States seeks conditions of stability, prosperity, and peace in all these areas in the belief that these will promote human rights. The President emphasized that the international community, and especially the industrial nations, must undertake a greater effort to assist less developed countries to achieve a better way of life for their peoples. The Pope and the President agreed that efforts to advance human rights constitute the compelling idea of our times.

During the Pope's private talks with the President, Vice President Walter Mondale chaired a meeting of principal papal and U.S. advisers. On the Vatican side there were present: His Eminence Agostino Cardinal Casaroll, the Papal Secretary of State, His Excellency Archbishop Eduardo Martinez Somalo, the substitute Secretary of State, His Excellency Archbishop Jean Jadot, Apostolic Delegate in the United States, Monsignor Audrys Backis, the Undersecretary of the Council for Public Affairs of the Church, and others.

On the United States side there were present: Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, the President's National Security Adviser, Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, Deputy National Security Adviser David Aaron, Anne Wexler, Assistant to the President, the President's personal envoy to the Vatican, Ambassador Robert F. Wagner, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs George Vest, and others.

In addition to the topics discussed in the Oval Office, this meeting in the Cabinet Room reviewed the status of the SALT II treaty and the implementation of the Helsinki Final Act, to which both the Holy See and the United States are signatories. They viewed compliance with the provisions of the Final Act, to be examined at the 1980 Review Conference in Madrid, as essential for enlarging human rights and, in particular, freedom of conscience throughout the world.

Jimmy Carter, Visit of Pope John Paul II White House Statement. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/248785

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Anonymous Cardinal ‘Demos II’ proposes agenda for next pope 

By Walter Sánchez Silva

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 5, 2024 / 19:30 pm

In March 2022, the late Cardinal George Pell published an at the time  anonymous critique of Pope Francis’ pontificate under the pseudonym “Demos.”

Now another cardinal, who identifies himself as “Demos II,” has published another anonymous screed. This one, however, is more forward-looking in nature and offers seven suggested tasks for the next successor of St. Peter.

The anonymous cardinal published his text , titled “The Vatican Tomorrow,” in six languages on the Italian “Bussola Quotidiana” (“Daily Compass”) website.

“In March 2022, an anonymous text appeared — signed under the pseudonym ‘Demos’ and titled ‘The Vatican Today’ — that raised a series of serious questions and criticisms about the pontificate of Pope Francis. Conditions in the Church since that text appeared have not materially changed, much less improved,” the document begins.

Demos II observes that there are aspects of the current pontificate that are positive, such as the concern Pope Francis has for the weakest and poorest, along with environmental issues, but that “its shortcomings are equally obvious.”

Those shortcomings include “an autocratic, at times seemingly vindictive, style of governance; a carelessness in matters of law; an intolerance for even respectful disagreement; and — most seriously — a pattern of ambiguity in matters of faith and morals causing confusion among the faithful.”

Demos II recommends recovering essential truths

The anonymous author calls on the next pope to work to recover and reestablish the following truths that he says have been “obscured or lost among many Christians”:

1) No one is saved except through, and only through, Jesus Christ, as he himself made clear.

2) God is merciful but also just and is intimately concerned with every human life. He forgives but he also holds us accountable; he is both Savior and Judge. 

3) Man is God’s creature, not a self-invention, a creature not merely of emotion and appetites but also of intellect, free will, and an eternal destiny. 

4) Unchanging objective truths about the world and human nature exist and are knowable through divine revelation and the exercise of reason.

5) God’s word, recorded in Scripture, is reliable and has permanent force.

6) Sin is real and its effects are lethal.

7) His Church has both the authority and the duty to “make disciples of all nations.” 

Demos II expounds upon recommendations for next pope

1) Regarding the authority of the pope

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“The pope is a successor of Peter and the guarantor of Church unity. But he is not an autocrat. He cannot change Church doctrine, and he must not invent or alter the Church’s discipline arbitrarily,” Demos II declares.

“He governs the Church collegially with his brother bishops in local dioceses. And he does so always in faithful continuity with the Word of God and Church teaching. ‘New paradigms’ and ‘unexplored new paths’ that deviate from either are not of God,” the author points out.

Demos II goes on to call on the next pope to “restore the hermeneutic of continuity in Catholic life and reassert Vatican II’s understanding of the papacy’s proper role.”

The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) is considered one of the most important events in the contemporary history of the Church. The documents that emerged from it aimed to promote the Catholic faith in the world, renew Christian life, adapt the liturgy, and encourage the action of the laity in the Church.

2) The Church is not a democracy.

“Just as the Church is not an autocracy, neither is she a democracy,” Demos II states. “The Church belongs to Jesus Christ. She is his Church. She is Christ’s mystical body, made up of many members. We have no authority to refashion her teachings to fit more comfortably with the world.”

“Moreover,” the author continues, “the Catholic ‘sensus fidelium’ is not a matter of opinion surveys nor even the view of a baptized majority.”

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3) Ambiguity is neither evangelical nor welcoming. 

“Ambiguity is neither evangelical nor welcoming. Rather, it breeds doubt and feeds schismatic impulses,” Demos II writes, adding that doctrinal issues ”are vital to living a Christian life authentically, because they deal with applications of the truth, and the truth demands clarity.”

“The dismantling and repurposing of Rome’s John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family and the marginalizing of texts like Veritatis Splendor suggest an elevation of ‘compassion’ and emotion at the expense of reason, justice, and truth. For a creedal community, this is both unhealthy and profoundly dangerous,” Demos II points out.

In 2019, new statutes for the John Paul II Institute were established along with a series of changes in the academic program such as the elimination of the chair on fundamental moral theology, which have posed “a danger to maintaining the heritage” of the Polish saint on studies on marriage and the family, as a prominent priest noted at the time.

The encyclical Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth) was published by St. John Paul II in 1993 and explained, among other things, that there are acts that are always “intrinsically evil,” a teaching that some try to refute.

4) Canon law

“Among the marks of the current pontificate are its excessive reliance on the motu proprio as a tool for governance and a general carelessness and distaste for canonical detail,” Demos II observes.

“Again, as with ambiguity of doctrine, disregard for canon law and proper canonical procedure undermines confidence in the purity of the Church’s mission,” the author states, noting that “Canon law orders Church life, harmonizes its institutions and procedures, and guarantees the rights of believers.”

5) Theology of the body

After noting that the Church is “mother and teacher,” the alleged cardinal author of the text stresses that “she can never be reduced to a system of flexible ethics or sociological analysis and remodeling to fit the instincts and appetites (and sexual confusions) of an age.”

“One of the key flaws in the current pontificate,” Demos II maintains, “is its retreat from a convincing ‘theology of the body’ and its lack of a compelling Christian anthropology ... precisely at a time when attacks on human nature and identity, from transgenderism to transhumanism, are mounting.”

The theology of the body is a compilation of the catechesis that St. John Paul II gave during the Wednesday general audiences from 1979 to 1984 in response to the results of the sexual revolution of the late 1960s.

6) Papal duties, travel

“Global travel served a pastor like Pope John Paul II so well,” Demos II notes, “because of his unique personal gifts and the nature of the times. But the times and circumstances have changed.”

“The Vatican itself urgently needs a renewal of its morale, a cleansing of its institutions, procedures, and personnel, and a thorough reform of its finances to prepare for a more challenging future,” the author indicates.

“These are not small things. They demand the presence, direct attention, and personal engagement of any new pope,” Demos II emphasizes.

7) College of Cardinals

“The College of Cardinals exists to provide senior counsel to the pope and to elect his successor upon his death. That service requires men of clean character, strong theological formation, mature leadership experience, and personal holiness,” the anonymous author declares.

“It also requires a pope,” he continues, “willing to seek advice and then to listen.”

“The current pontificate has placed an emphasis on diversifying the college, but it has failed to bring cardinals together in regular consistories designed to foster genuine collegiality and trust among brothers. As a result, many of the voting electors in the next conclave will not really know each other, and thus may be more vulnerable to manipulation,” the supposed cardinal warns.

Why did Demos II write anonymously?

“The answer should be evident from the tenor of today’s Roman environment: Candor is not welcome, and its consequences can be unpleasant,” the author explains.

Demos II points out that “the current pontificate’s heavy dependence on the Society of Jesus, the recent problematic work by the DDF’s [Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith] Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, and the emergence of a small oligarchy of confidants with excessive influence within the Vatican — all despite synodality’s decentralizing claims, among other things” — are real issues.

Argentine Cardinal Fernández is the current prefect of the DDF and is responsible for the December 2023 declaration Fiducia Supplicans , which has sparked controversy throughout the world for its authorization of nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples and those in “irregular situations.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Pope Francis to visit Singapore from Sept 11 to 13

SINGAPORE - Pope Francis will visit Singapore from Sept 11 to 13, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore confirmed on April 12.

The Pope will also celebrate mass, which is tentatively set to take place on Sept 12.

In a statement on its website, the Archdiocese said it was sharing the news of the Pope’s visit, which was confirmed by The Holy See, with great “jubilation and thanksgiving”.

Cardinal William Goh, the Archbishop of Singapore, said of the visit: “It has been 38 years since we had a visit from the Vicar of Christ to Singapore, when Pope St John Paul II honoured us with a visit on 20 November 1986.

“It is my hope that this visit of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, will bring renewed fervour to all Catholics in Singapore, uniting them in faith and mission, especially in these most challenging of times.”

The Archdiocese statement added: “As we prepare for His Holiness’ visit, let us, as a community, pray for the continued health and safety of the Holy Father and ask the Lord to grant us a truly meaningful and grace-filled visit.”

Earlier on April 2, a spokesman for Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “Singapore welcomes a visit by Pope Francis.”

The tour, which had been earlier scheduled for August, will mark only the second papal visit to Singapore.

The Singapore Government, the Holy See and local church officials are discussing details of Pope Francis’ visit.

More information about the visit will be released progressively to the public at www.popefrancis2024.sg

There are about 243,000 Roman Catholics in Singapore, according to the 2020 census.

Pope Francis’ visit to Singapore is part of a 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region. He will also visit Jakarta in Indonesia from Sept 3 to 6, Port Moresby and Vanimo in Papua New Guinea from Sept 6 to 9, and Dili in Timor-Leste from Sept 9 to 11, according to the Vatican.

Reports of an Asia-Pacific tour first appeared in January in two Catholic media outlets: America and EWTN Vatican. 

On March 31, Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas confirmed that Pope Francis would visit Indonesia on Sept 3.

Outgoing Indonesian President Joko Widodo reportedly invited the pontiff to visit Indonesia – which has the world’s largest Muslim population, numbering about 242 million – in June 2022, as part of efforts to promote religious tolerance.

The last papal visit to Singapore was almost 40 years ago, when the late Pope John Paul II drew thousands of Roman Catholics during a brief stopover in 1986, which lasted just five hours.

In January 2022, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong was granted a brief audience with Pope Francis during a working visit to the Vatican City. His visit was to reaffirm bilateral ties with the city-state and came a month after the Roman Catholic Church marked its 200th anniversary in Singapore.

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Pope Francis to visit Asia and Oceania in September

Pope Francis greets the journalists onboard the papal plane during the flight back to Rome at the end of his two-day apostolic visit to Malta, Sunday, April 3, 2022. (Credit: Ciro Fusco /Pool photo via AP.)

MUMBAI, India – Pope Francis will visit three countries in Asia and one in Oceania, according to a Vatican statement released on Friday.

Francis is scheduled to leave Rome on September 2 and return to the Vatican on September 13.

He travels first to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, where he will land on September 3 and leave September 6. He will then travel to Papua New Guinea, visiting on September 6-9.

From September 9-11 he will be in Timor-Leste, before ending his Asia trip in Singapore.

There is a large variety of Catholic populations in these countries. Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, and Catholics number over 8 million, or 3.1 percent of the population.

Papua New Guinea has a population of around 2 million, or 32 percent, while Timor-Este is 96 percent Catholic, over 1 million people. Singapore has 395,000 Catholics, around 3 percent of the population.

Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo of Jakarta said the news that Francis will be visiting Indonesia “was received very enthusiastically, not only by Catholics.”

“The first announcement was given by the Minister of Religious Affairs. And during an interreligious meeting during the month of Ramadhan, the Great Imam of the State Mosque Istiqlal also announced the coming visit for the second time,” the cardinal told Crux .

“For several reasons the President of the Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia formally announced the coming visit only on the Feast of Annunciation, April 8, 2024,” he said.

“Actually, Pope Francis had decided to visit Indonesia in 2020, but then arrived the unexpected COVID-19,” Suharyo said.

“We ask our people to pray much for this visit planned in the first week of September, especially for the health of Pope Francis,” the cardinal continued.

“We also urge our faithful to prepare well the visit by deepening the messages of Pope Francis given in different encyclical letters and Apostolic Exhortation such as, Laudato Si’ , Fratelli Tutti , Evangelii Gaudium , and Gaudete et Exultate – on the call to holiness in today’s world,” he said.

Suharyo said the motto of the visit to Indonesia will be: Faith, Brother-Sisterhood, Compassion.

Archbishop Antonius Subianto Bunjamin of Merauke, the President of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI), said the visit of Francis “will give us, the Church and the nation the positive impact because the Holy Father is not only the Shepherd of the Catholic Church but also the Father of humanity bringing peace and offering mercy.”

“Of course, the visit of the Holy Father is a blessing for the Church and the country,” he said.

“May this visit be a moral and spiritual encouragement for us all to live out the values of Pancasila that are in line with Christian value. May this visit strengthen our sense of ‘fratelli tutti’,” the archbishop said.

the Archbishop of Singapore, Cardinal William Goh, also welcomed the pope’s upcoming visit.

“It has been 38 years since we had a visit from the Vicar of Christ to Singapore, when Pope St. John Paul II honored us with a visit on 20 November 1986,” the cardinal said in a statement.

“It is my hope that this visit of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, will bring renewed fervor to all Catholics in Singapore, uniting them in faith and mission, especially in these most challenging of times,” he said.

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  LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN PAUL II TO THE ELDERLY 1999

   To my elderly brothers and sisters! “ Seventy is the sum of our years, or eighty if we are strong, and most of them are fruitless toil, for they pass quickly and we drift away ” ( Ps 90:10)

1. Seventy years was an advanced age when the Psalmist wrote these words, and few people lived beyond it. Nowadays, thanks to medical progress and improved social and economic conditions, life expectancy has increased significantly in many parts of the world. Still, it remains true that the years pass quickly, and the gift of life, for all the effort and pain it involves, is too beautiful and precious for us ever to grow tired of it. As an older person myself, I have felt the desire to engage in a conversation with you. I do so first of all by thanking God for the gifts and the opportunities which he has abundantly bestowed upon me up to now. In my memory I recall the stages of my life, which is bound up with the history of much of this century, and I see before me the faces of countless people, some particularly dear to me: they remind me of ordinary and extraordinary events, of happy times and of situations touched by suffering. Above all else, though, I see outstretched the provident and merciful hand of God the Father, who “cares in the best way possible for all that exists” (1) and who “hears us whenever we ask for anything according to his will” (1 Jn 5:14). With the Psalmist, I say to him: “You have taught me, O God, from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds. And now that I am old and grey, O God, forsake me not, till I proclaim your strength to every generation that is to come” ( Ps 71:17-18). My thoughts turn with affection to all of you, dear elderly people of all languages and cultures. I am writing this letter to you in the year which the United Nations Organization has appropriately wished to dedicate to the elderly, in order to direct the attention of society as a whole to the situation of all those who, because of the burden of their years, often have to face a variety of difficult problems. In this regard the Pontifical Council for the Laity has offered some helpful points for reflection.(2) In this Letter I wish simply to express my spiritual closeness to you as someone who, with the passing of the years, has come to a deeper personal understanding of this phase of life and consequently feels a need for closer contact with other people of his own age, so that we can reflect together on the things we have in common. I place all this before the eyes of God who embraces us with his love and who sustains us and guides us by his providence. 2. Dear brothers and sisters, at our age it is natural to revisit the past in order to attempt a sort of assessment. This retrospective gaze makes possible a more serene and objective evaluation of persons and situations we have met along the way. The passage of time helps us to see our experiences in a clearer light and softens their painful side. Sadly, struggles and tribulations are very much a part of everyone's life. Sometimes it is a matter of problems and sufferings which can sorely test our mental and physical resistance, and perhaps even shake our faith. But experience teaches that daily difficulties, by God's grace, often contribute to people's growth and to the forging of their character. Beyond single events, the reflection which first comes to mind has to do with the inexorable passage of time. “Time flies irretrievably”, as the ancient Latin poet put it.(3) Man is immersed in time; he is born, lives and dies within time. Birth establishes one date, the first of his life, and death another, the last: the “alpha” and the “omega”, the beginning and end of his history on earth. The Christian tradition has emphasized this by inscribing these two letters of the Greek alphabet on tombstones. But if the life of each of us is limited and fragile, we are consoled by the thought that, by virtue of our spiritual souls, we will survive beyond death itself. Moreover, faith opens us to a “hope that does not disappoint” (cf. Rom 5:5), placing us before the perspective of the final resurrection. It is no coincidence that the Church, at the solemn Easter Vigil, uses the same two Greek letters in reference to Christ who lives yesterday, today and for ever: He is “the beginning and the end, Alpha and Omega. All time belongs to him and all the ages”.(4) Human experience, although subject to time, is set by Christ against the horizon of immortality. He “became a man among men, in order to join the beginning to the end, man to God”.(5) A complex century towards a future of hope 3. In speaking to the elderly, I know I am speaking to and about people who have made a long journey (cf. Wis 4:13). I am speaking to my contemporaries, and so I can readily draw an analogy from my own personal experience. Our life, dear brothers and sisters, has been situated by Providence in this twentieth century, which arrived with a complex inheritance from the past and has witnessed many extraordinary events. Like so many other times in history, our own has registered lights and shadows. Not all has been bleak. Many positive aspects have counterbalanced the negative, or have emerged from the negative as a beneficial reaction on the part of the collective consciousness. Yet it is true too — and it would be both unjust and dangerous to forget it! — that unprecedented sufferings have affected the lives of millions and millions of people. We need but think of the conflicts which erupted on different continents as a result of territorial disputes between States or inter-ethnic hatred. Nor should we consider any less serious the conditions of extreme poverty afflicting broad segments of society in the Southern Hemisphere, or the shameful phenomenon of racial discrimination and the systematic violation of human rights found in many nations. And what are we to say of the great global conflicts? In the first part of the century there were two of them, with casualties and destruction never previously known. The First World War killed millions of soldiers and civilians, cutting off so many human lives in adolescence or even childhood. And what of the Second World War? Breaking out after a few decades of relative peace in the world, especially in Europe, it was even more tragic than the first, with enormous consequences for the lives of nations and continents. It was all-out war, an unheard-of mobilization of hatred, which struck brutal blows even against defenceless civil populations and which destroyed entire generations. The toll paid on various fronts to the madness of war was incalculable; equally terrifying was the slaughter which took place in the death camps, which truly remain the Golgothas of our time. The second half of the century was burdened for long years by the nightmare of the cold war, the conflict between the two great opposing ideological blocs, East and West. This was accompanied by an insane arms race and the constant threat of an atomic war capable of bringing humanity to extinction.(6) Thank God, that dark page of history was closed with the fall in Europe of oppressive totalitarian regimes as the result of a peaceful struggle, which relied on the weapons of truth and justice.(7) This in turn initiated a difficult but fruitful process of dialogue and reconciliation aimed at establishing a serene and fraternal coexistence between peoples. But all too many nations are still very far from enjoying the benefits of peace and freedom. In recent months great concern has been caused by the outbreak of violent conflict in the Balkans, which had earlier been the theatre of a terrible war with ethnic undertones. Further blood was shed, further destruction took place, further hatred was nourished. Now that the clash of arms has at last ceased, thought is being given to reconstruction as the new millennium approaches. But meanwhile, on other continents too, numerous hotbeds of war continue to erupt, at times with massacres and acts of violence which are all too soon forgotten by the world press. 4. While these memories and these painful happenings sadden us, we cannot forget that our century has also seen the appearance of many positive signs which represent so many sources of hope for the Third Millennium. There has been a growing consciousness — albeit amid numerous inconsistencies, especially where respect for the life of each human being is concerned — of universal human rights, proclaimed in solemn and binding international declarations. Moreover, there has been a continuing development of a sense of the right of peoples to self-government in the context of national and international relations, inspired by an appreciation of cultural identity together with respect of minorities. The fall of totalitarian systems, like those of Eastern Europe, has led to growth in the universal perception of the value of democracy and of the free market, although the great challenge of uniting freedom and social justice still remains. We must also consider it a great gift of God that the world's religions are striving with ever greater determination to carry on a dialogue which would make them a fundamental factor of peace and unity in the world. Then too, there has been an increasing recognition of the dignity of women. Undeniably there is still far to go, but the trail has been blazed. A further reason for hope is the rapid expansion of communications which, thanks to present-day technology, have made it possible to reach beyond established borders, making us feel that we are citizens of the world. Another important area of growth is the new ecological awareness which deserves encouragement. Another source of hope is the great progress made in medicine and the contribution of science to human well-being. There are many reasons, then, for giving thanks to God. All things considered, these final years of our century present immense potential for peace and progress. From the very adversities which our generation has experienced there comes a light which can brighten the years of our old age. Here we see the confirmation of a principle central to the Christian faith: “Tribulations not only do not destroy hope; they are its foundation”.(8) It is appealing, then, that, as this century and this millennium approach their twilight and the dawn of a new season for humanity can already be seen on the horizon, we should stop to meditate on how quickly time flies, not in order to resign ourselves to an inexorable fate, but rather to make full use of the years we still have before us. The autumn of life 5. What is old age? At times it has been referred to the autumn of life — so Cicero calls it (9) — following the analogy suggested by the seasons and the successive phases of nature. We need but look at the changes taking place in the landscape over the course of the year, on the mountains and in the plains, in the meadows, valleys and forests, in the trees and plants. There is a close resemblance between our human bio-rhythms and the natural cycles of which we are a part. At the same time however man is set apart from all other realities around him, precisely because he is a person. Made in the image and likeness of God, he is conscious and responsible. Even in his spiritual dimension, though, he experiences the succession of different phases, all equally fleeting. Saint Ephrem the Syrian liked to compare our life to the fingers of a hand, both to emphasize that its length is no more than a span, and to indicate that each phase of life, like the different fingers, has its particular character, and “the fingers represent the five steps by which man advances”.(10) Consequently, whereas childhood and youth are the times when the human person is being formed and is completely directed towards the future, and — in coming to appreciate his own abilities — makes plans for adulthood, old age is not without its own benefits. As Saint Jerome observes, with the quieting of the passions, it “increases wisdom, and brings more mature counsels”.(11) In a certain sense, it is the season for that wisdom which generally comes from experience, since “time is a great teacher”.(12) The prayer of the Psalmist is well known: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart” ( Ps 90:12). The elderly in Sacred Scripture 6. “Youth and the dawn of life are vanity”, observes the Preacher ( Ec 11:10). The Bible does not hesitate to point out, at times with blunt realism, the fleeting nature of life and the inexorable passage of time: “Vanity of vanities..., vanity of vanities, all is vanity” ( Ec 1:2). Who is not familiar with this stern warning of the ancient Sage? Those of us who are older, schooled as we are by experience, understand it in a special way. Despite such wry realism, Scripture maintains a very positive vision of the value of life. Man remains for ever made “in the image of God” (cf. Gen 1:26), and each stage of life has its own beauty and its own tasks. Indeed, in the word of God, old age is so highly esteemed that long life is seen as a sign of divine favour (cf. Gen 11:10-32). In the case of Abraham, in whom the privilege of old age is stressed, this favour takes the form of a promise: “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great. I will bless those who bless you and him who curses you I will curse; in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” ( Gen 12:2-3). At Abraham's side is Sarah, a woman who sees her body growing old, yet experiences within the limitations of her aging flesh the power of God who makes good every human shortcoming. Moses too was an old man when God entrusted him with the mission of leading the Chosen People out of Egypt. It was not in his youth but in his old age that, at the Lord's command, he did mighty deeds on behalf of Israel. Among other examples of elderly people in the Bible, I would mention Tobit, who humbly and courageously resolved to keep God's Law, to help the needy and to endure blindness patiently, until the angel of God intervened to set his situation aright (cf. Tob 3:16-17). There is also Eleazar, whose martyrdom bore witness to an exceptional generosity and strength (cf. 2 Macc 6:18-31). 7. The New Testament, filled with the light of Christ, also contains eloquent examples of elderly people. The Gospel of Luke begins by introducing a married couple “advanced in years” (1:7): Elizabeth and Zechariah, the parents of John the Baptist. The Lord's mercy reaches out to them (cf. Lk 1:5-25, 39-79). Zechariah, already an old man, is told that a son will be born to him. He himself makes the point: “I am an old man and my wife is well on in years” ( Lk 1:18). During Mary's visitation, her elderly kinswoman Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaims: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” ( Lk 1:42), and when John the Baptist is born, Zechariah gives voice to the Benedictus. Here we see a remarkable older couple, filled with a deep spirit of prayer. In the Temple at Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to offer him to the Lord, or rather, in accordance with the Law, to redeem him as their first-born son. There they meet the aged Simeon, who had long awaited the Messiah. Taking the child in his arms, Simeon blesses God and proclaims the Nunc Dimittis: “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace” ( Lk 2:29). At Simeon's side we find Anna, a widow of eighty-four, a frequent visitor to the Temple, who now has the joy of seeing Jesus. The Evangelist tells us that “she began to praise God and spoke of the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” ( Lk 2:38). Nicodemus too, a highly-regarded member of the Sanhedrin, was an elderly man. He visited Jesus by night in order not to be seen. To him the Divine Teacher reveals that he is the Son of God who has come to save the world (cf. Jn 3:1-21). Nicodemus appears again at the burial of Jesus, when, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, he overcomes his fear and shows himself a disciple of the Crucified Lord (cf. Jn 19:38-40). How reassuring are all these examples! They remind us that at every stage of life the Lord can ask each of us to contribute what talents we have. The service of the Gospel has nothing to do with age! And what shall we say of Peter in his old age, called to bear witness to his faith by martyrdom? Jesus had once said to him: “When you were young you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go” ( Jn 21:18). These are words which, as the Successor of Peter, touch me personally; they make me feel strongly the need to reach out and grasp the hands of Christ, in obedience to his command: “Follow me!” ( Jn 21:19). 8. As if to recapitulate the splendid images of elderly people found throughout the Bible, Psalm 92 proclaims: “The just will flourish like the palm-tree, and grow like a Lebanon cedar..., still bearing fruit when they are old, still full of sap, still green, to proclaim that the Lord is just” (vv. 13, 15-16). Echoing the Psalmist, the Apostle Paul writes in his Letter to Titus: “Bid the older men be temperate, serious, sensible, sound in faith, in love, and in patience. Bid the older women likewise to live in a way appropriate to believers...; they are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children” (2:2-5). Thus the teaching and language of the Bible present old age as a “favourable time” for bringing life to its fulfilment and, in God's plan for each person, as a time when everything comes together and enables us better to grasp life's meaning and to attain “wisdom of heart”. “An honourable old age comes not with the passing of time”, observes the Book of Wisdom, “nor can it be measured in terms of years; rather, understanding is the hoary crown for men, and an unsullied life, the attainment of old age” (4:8-9). Old age is the final stage of human maturity and a sign of God's blessing. Guardians of shared memory 9. In the past, great respect was shown to the elderly. “Great was once the reverence given to a hoary head”, says Ovid, the Latin poet.(13) Centuries earlier, the Greek poet Phocylides had admonished: “Respect grey hair: give to the elderly sage the same signs of respect that you give your own father”.(14) And what of today? If we stop to consider the current situation, we see that among some peoples old age is esteemed and valued, while among others this is much less the case, due to a mentality which gives priority to immediate human usefulness and productivity. Such an attitude frequently leads to contempt for the later years of life, while older people themselves are led to wonder whether their lives are still worthwhile. It has come to the point where euthanasia is increasingly put forward as a solution for difficult situations. Unfortunately, in recent years the idea of euthanasia has lost for many people the sense of horror which it naturally awakens in those who have a sense of respect for life. Certainly it can happen that, when grave illness involves unbearable suffering, the sick are tempted to despair and their loved ones or those responsible for their care feel compelled by a misguided compassion to consider the solution of “an easy death” as something reasonable. Here it should be kept in mind that the moral law allows the rejection of “aggressive medical treatment” (15) and makes obligatory only those forms of treatment which fall within the normal requirements of medical care, which in the case of terminal illness seeks primarily to alleviate pain. But euthanasia, understood as directly causing death, is another thing entirely. Regardless of intentions and circumstances, euthanasia is always an intrinsically evil act, a violation of God's law and an offence against the dignity of the human person.(16) 10. There is an urgent need to recover a correct perspective on life as a whole. The correct perspective is that of eternity, for which life at every phase is a meaningful preparation. Old age too has a proper role to play in this process of gradual maturing along the path to eternity. And this process of maturing cannot but benefit the larger society of which the elderly person is a part. Elderly people help us to see human affairs with greater wisdom, because life's vicissitudes have brought them knowledge and maturity. They are the guardians of our collective memory, and thus the privileged interpreters of that body of ideals and common values which support and guide life in society. To exclude the elderly is in a sense to deny the past, in which the present is firmly rooted, in the name of a modernity without memory. Precisely because of their mature experience, the elderly are able to offer young people precious advice and guidance. In view of all this, the signs of human frailty which are clearly connected with advanced age become a summons to the mutual dependence and indispensable solidarity which link the different generations, inasmuch as every person needs others and draws enrichment from the gifts and charisms of all. Here the reflections of a poet dear to me are pertinent: “It is not the future alone which is eternal, not the future alone!... Indeed, the past too is the age of eternity: Nothing which has already happened will come back today as it was... It will return, but as Idea; it will not return as itself”.(17) “Honour your father and mother” 11. Why then should we not continue to give the elderly the respect which the sound traditions of many cultures on every continent have prized so highly? For peoples influenced by the Bible, the point of reference through the centuries has been the commandment of the Decalogue: “Honour your father and mother”, a duty which for that matter is universally recognized. The full and consistent application of this commandment has not only been a source of the love of children for their parents, but it has also forged the strong link which exists between the generations. Where this commandment is accepted and faithfully observed, there is little danger that older people will be regarded as a useless and troublesome burden. The same commandment also teaches respect for those who have gone before us and for all the good which they have done: the words “father and mother” point to the past, to the bond between generations which makes possible the very existence of a people. In the two versions found in the Bible (cf. Ex 20:2-17; Dt 5:6-21), this divine commandment is the first of those inscribed on the second Tablet of the Law, which deals with the duties of human beings towards one another and towards society. Furthermore, it is the only commandment to which a promise is attached: “Honour your father and mother, so that your days in the land which the Lord your God gives you may be long” ( Ex 20:12; cf. Dt 5:16). 12. “Rise in the presence of one with grey hair; honour the person of the older man” ( Lev 19:32). Honouring older people involves a threefold duty: welcoming them, helping them and making good use of their qualities. In many places this happens almost spontaneously, as the result of long-standing custom. Elsewhere, and especially in the more economically advanced nations, there needs to be a reversal of the current trend, to ensure that elderly people can grow old with dignity, without having to fear that they will end up no longer counting for anything. There must be a growing conviction that a fully human civilization shows respect and love for the elderly, so that despite their diminishing strength they feel a vital part of society. Cicero himself noted that “the burden of age is lighter for those who feel respected and loved by the young”.(18) Furthermore, while the human spirit has some part in the process of bodily aging, in some way it remains ever young if it is constantly turned towards eternity. This experience of enduring youthfulness becomes all the more powerful when to the inner witness of a good conscience is joined the sympathetic concern and grateful affection of loved ones. Then, as Saint Gregory of Nazianzus writes, a man “will not grow old in spirit, but will accept dissolution as the moment fixed for the freedom which must come. Gently he will cross into the beyond, where there is neither youth nor old age, but where all are perfect in spiritual maturity”.(19) We are all familiar with examples of elderly people who remain amazingly youthful and vigorous in spirit. Those coming into contact with them find their words an inspiration and their example a source of comfort. May society use to their full potential those elderly people who in some parts of the world — I think especially of Africa — are rightly esteemed as “living encyclopaedias” of wisdom, guardians of an inestimable treasure of human and spiritual experiences. While they tend to need physical assistance, it is equally true that in their old age the elderly are able to offer guidance and support to young people as they face the future and prepare to set out along life's paths. While speaking of older people, I would also say a word to the young, to invite them to remain close to the elderly. Dear young people, I urge you to do this with great love and generosity. Older people can give you much more than you can imagine. The Book of Sirach offers this advice: “Do not disregard what older people say, because they too have learnt from their parents” (8:9); “Attend the meetings with older people. Is there one who is wise? Spend time with him” (6:34); for “wisdom is becoming to the elderly” (25:5). 13. The Christian community can receive much from the serene presence of older people. I think first of all in terms of evangelization: its effectiveness does not depend principally on technical expertise. In how many families are grandchildren taught the rudiments of the faith by their grandparents! There are many other areas where the elderly can make a beneficial contribution. The Spirit acts as and where he wills, and quite frequently he employs human means which seem of little account in the eyes of the world. How many people find understanding and comfort from elderly people who may be lonely or ill and yet are able to instil courage by their loving advice, their silent prayers, or their witness of suffering borne with patient acceptance! At the very time when their physical energies and their level of activity are decreasing, these brothers and sisters of ours become all the more precious in the mysterious plan of Providence. In addition to the obvious psychological need of the elderly themselves, the most natural place to spend one's old age continues to be the environment in which one feels most “at home”, among family members, acquaintances and friends, where one can still make oneself useful. As the number of older people increases, keeping pace with the rise in average life expectancy, it will become more and more important to promote a widespread attitude of acceptance and appreciation of the elderly, and not relegate them to the fringes. The ideal is still for the elderly to remain within the family, with the guarantee of effective social assistance for the greater needs which age or illness entail. On the other hand, there are situations where circumstances suggest or demand that they be admitted to “homes for the elderly” where they can enjoy the company of others and receive specialized care. Such institutions are indeed praiseworthy, and experience shows that they can provide a valuable service when they are inspired not only by organizational efficiency but also by loving concern. Everything becomes easier when each elderly resident is helped by family, friends and parish communities to feel loved and still useful to society. How can we fail to mention here, with admiration and gratitude, the Religious Congregations and volunteer groups specifically devoted to the care of the aged, especially the poor, the abandoned and those in difficulty? Dear elderly friends who feel insecure because of ill health or other circumstances, I assure you of my closeness and affection. When God permits us to suffer because of illness, loneliness or other reasons associated with old age, he always gives us the grace and strength to unite ourselves with greater love to the sacrifice of his Son and to share ever more fully in his plan of salvation. Let us be convinced of this: he is our Father, a Father rich in love and mercy! My thoughts turn in a special way to you, widows and widowers, who find yourselves alone in the final part of your lives; to you, elderly men and women Religious, who for long years have faithfully served the cause of the Kingdom of Heaven; and to you, dear brother Priests and Bishops, who, for reasons of age, no longer have direct responsibility for pastoral ministry. The Church still needs you. She appreciates the services which you may wish to provide in many areas of the apostolate; she counts on the support of your longer periods of prayer; she counts on your advice born of experience, and she is enriched by your daily witness to the Gospel. “You show me the path of life, in your presence there is fullness of life” (Ps 16:11) 14. It is natural that, as the years pass, we should increasingly consider our “twilight”. If nothing else, we are reminded of it by the very fact that the ranks of our family members, friends and acquaintances grow ever thinner; we become aware of this in a number of ways, when for example we attend family reunions, gatherings of our childhood friends, classmates from school and university, or former colleagues from the military or the seminary. The line separating life and death runs through our communities and moves inexorably nearer to each of us. If life is a pilgrimage towards our heavenly home, then old age is the most natural time to look towards the threshold of eternity. And yet, even we elderly people find it hard to resign ourselves to the prospect of making this passage. In our human condition touched by sin, death presents a certain dark side which cannot but bring sadness and fear. How could it be otherwise? Man has been made for life, whereas death — as Scripture tells us from its very first pages (cf. Gen 2-3) — was not a part of God's original plan but came about as a consequence of sin, as a result of “the devil's envy” ( Wis 2:24). It is thus understandable why, when faced with this dark reality, man instinctively rebels. In this regard it is significant that Jesus, “who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” ( Heb 4:15), also experienced fear in the face of death: “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” ( Mt 26:39). How can we forget his tears at the tomb of his friend Lazarus, despite the fact that he was about to raise him from the dead (cf. Jn 11:35)? However rationally comprehensible death may be from a biological standpoint, it is not possible to experience it as something “natural”. This would contradict man's deepest instincts. As the Council observed: “It is in the face of death that the riddle of human existence becomes most acute. Not only is man tormented by pain and by the advancing deterioration of his body, but even more so by a dread of perpetual extinction”.(20) This anguish would indeed be inconsolable were death complete destruction, the end of everything. Death thus forces men and women to ask themselves fundamental questions about the meaning of life itself. What is on the other side of the shadowy wall of death? Does death represent the definitive end of life or does something lie beyond it? 15. Human history, from the most ancient times down to our own day, has provided a number of simplistic answers which limit life to what we experience on earth. In the Old Testament itself, certain passages in the Book of Ecclesiastes seem to present old age as a building in ruins and death as its final and utter destruction (cf 12:1-7). But precisely against the backdrop of these pessimistic attitudes there shines forth the hope-filled outlook present in revelation as a whole and particularly in the Gospel: “God is not God of the dead, but of the living” (cf. Lk 20:38). The Apostle Paul affirms that God, who gives life to the dead (cf. Rom 4:17), will also give life to our mortal bodies (cf. ibid., 8:11). And Jesus says of himself: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die” ( Jn 11:25-26). Christ, having crossed the threshold of death, has revealed the life which lies beyond this frontier, in that uncharted “territory” which is eternity. He is the first witness of eternal life; in him human hope is shown to be filled with immortality. “The sadness of death gives way to the bright promise of immortality”.(21) These words, which the Church's Liturgy offers as a consolation to believers as they bid farewell to their loved ones, are followed by a proclamation of hope: “Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven”.(22) In Christ, death — tragic and disconcerting as it is — is redeemed and transformed; it is even revealed as a “sister” who leads us to the arms of our Father.(23) 16. Faith thus illuminates the mystery of death and brings serenity to old age, now no longer considered and lived passively as the expectation of a calamity but rather as a promise-filled approach to the goal of full maturity. These are years to be lived with a sense of trusting abandonment into the hands of God, our provident and merciful Father. It is a time to be used creatively for deepening our spiritual life through more fervent prayer and commitment to the service of our brothers and sisters in charity. Most commendable then are all those social programmes enabling the elderly to continue to attend to their physical well-being, their intellectual development and their personal relationships, as well as those enabling them to make themselves useful and to put their time, talents and experience at the service of others. In this way the capacity to enjoy life as God's primordial gift is preserved and increases. Such a capacity to enjoy life in no way conflicts with that desire for eternity which grows within people of deep spiritual experience, as the lives of the saints bear witness. Here the Gospel reminds us of the words of the aged Simeon, who says he is ready to die now that he has held in his arms the long-awaited Messiah: “Lord, now you let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation” ( Lk 2:29-30). The Apostle Paul felt torn between the desire to continue living in order to preach the Gospel, and the desire “to depart and be with Christ” ( Phil 1:23). Saint Ignatius of Antioch, joyfully going to his martyrdom, said that he could hear within him the voice of the Spirit, like living “water” welling up inside of him and whispering the invitation: “Come to the Father”.(24) These examples could be multiplied. They cast no doubt whatsoever on the value of earthly life, which is beautiful despite its limitations and sufferings, and which ought to be lived to its very end. At the same time they remind us that earthly life is not the ultimate value, in such a way that the twilight of life can be seen — from a Christian perspective — as a “passage”, a bridge between one life and another, between the fragile and uncertain joy of this earth to that fullness of joy which the Lord holds in store for his faithful servants: “Enter into the joy of your master” ( Mt 25:21). An encouragement to live life to the full 17. In this spirit, dear elderly brothers and sisters, as I encourage each of you to live with serenity the years that the Lord has granted you, I feel a spontaneous desire to share fully with you my own feelings at this point of my life, after more than twenty years of ministry on the throne of Peter and as we await the arrival, now imminent, of the Third Millennium. Despite the limitations brought on by age, I continue to enjoy life. For this I thank the Lord. It is wonderful to be able to give oneself to the very end for the sake of the Kingdom of God! At the same time, I find great peace in thinking of the time when the Lord will call me: from life to life! And so I often find myself saying, with no trace of melancholy, a prayer recited by priests after the celebration of the Eucharist: In hora mortis meae voca me, et iube me venire ad te – at the hour of my death, call me and bid me come to you. This is the prayer of Christian hope, which in no way detracts from the joy of the present, while entrusting the future to God's gracious and loving care. 18. “Iube me venire ad te!”: this is the deepest yearning of the human heart, even in those who are not conscious of it. Grant, O Lord of life, that we may be ever vividly aware of this and that we may savour every season of our lives as a gift filled with promise for the future. Grant that we may lovingly accept your will, and place ourselves each day in your merciful hands. And when the moment of our definitive “passage” comes, grant that we may face it with serenity, without regret for what we shall leave behind. For in meeting you, after having sought you for so long, we shall find once more every authentic good which we have known here on earth, in the company of all who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith and hope. Mary, Mother of pilgrim humanity, pray for us “now and at the hour of our death”. Keep us ever close to Jesus, your beloved Son and our brother, the Lord of life and glory. Amen! From the Vatican, 1 October 1999.

(1) SAINT JOHN DAMASCENE, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, 2, 29. (2) Cf. The Dignity of Older People and Their Mission in the Church and in the World, Vatican City, 1998. (3) VIRGIL, “Fugit inreparabile tempus”, Georgics III, 284. (4) Liturgy of the Easter Vigil. (5) SAINT IRENAEUS OF LYONS, Adversus Haereses, IV, 20, 4. (6) Cf. POPE JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 18. (7) Ibid., 23. (8) SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, Commentary on the Letter to the Romans, 9, 2. (9) 2 Cf. Cato Maior, seu De Senectute, 19, 70. (10) On “All is vanity and affliction of spirit”, 5-6. (11) “Auget sapientiam, dat maturiora consilia”: Commentaria in Amos, II, prol. (12) CORNEILLE, Sertorius, Act II, Scene 4, v. 717. (13) “Magna fuit quondam capitis reverentia cani”: Fasti, V, 57. (14) Sententiae, XLII. (15) Cf. POPE JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae, 65. (16) Cf. ibid. (17) C.K. NORWID, Nie tylko przyszlosc..., Post Scriptum, I, vv. 1-4. (18) “Levior fit senectus, eorum qui a iuventute coluntur et diliguntur”, Cato Maior, seu De Senectute, 8, 26. (19) Discourse upon Returning from the Country, 11. (20) SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 18. (21) Roman Missal, Preface of Christian Death I. (22) Ibid. (23) Cf. SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, Canticle of the Creatures. (24) Letter to the Romans, 7, 2.

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Pope Francis waves to the crowd during the weekly general audience on Apr 10, 2024, at St Peter's square in The Vatican. (Photo: AFP/Andreas Solaro)

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SINGAPORE: Pope Francis will visit Singapore from Sep 11 to 13, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore said on Friday (Apr 12), confirming earlier reports of a likely trip this year.

"Details of the visit are still being discussed between the Singapore government, the Holy See and local church officials. More information about the papal visit will be released progressively in due course," said the archdiocese.

Singapore is the last leg of his Asia tour.

He will be in  Indonesia from Sep 3 to 6, Papua New Guinea from Sep 6 to 9 and Timor-Leste from Sep 9 to 11, the Vatican said in a statement.

Vietnam, which Vatican officials had suggested as a possible destination, was not mentioned.

The last time a pope visited Singapore was in 1986 when John Paul II made a five-hour stop as part of his Asia-Pacific tour that included Bangladesh, New Zealand and Australia. 

Thousands attended a papal mass at the National Stadium during that visit.

"It has been 38 years since we had a visit from the Vicar of Christ to Singapore, when Pope St John Paul II honoured us with a visit on Nov 20, 1986," said Cardinal William Goh, the archbishop of Singapore.

"It is my hope that this visit of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, will bring renewed fervour to all Catholics in Singapore, uniting them in faith and mission, especially in these most challenging of times."

Apart from official engagements, Pope Francis is expected to be at a Eucharistic celebration, "likely" on Sep 12, said the archdiocese.

"As we prepare for His Holiness’ visit, let us, as a community, pray for the continued health and safety of the Holy Father and ask the Lord to grant us a truly meaningful and grace-filled visit," it added.

Pope Francis to visit Indonesia in September

The visit by Pope Francis, 87, has been on the cards for months, but his health had raised questions about whether it would go ahead.

He uses a wheelchair and suffered health issues in recent years, from knee pain to surgery for a hernia and on his colon.

Known for his work ethic, the Pope never takes holidays but has been forced to make concessions due to his age and health, including cancelling a trip to UN climate talks in Dubai last year.

The September trip will represent a major physical challenge, involving more than 30 hours of flight as well as a series of meetings and masses.

It will also be the longest trip for the Argentine since he became head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013.

Pope Francis had been due to visit Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Indonesia in September 2020 but the trip was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indonesia had already announced the Pope's visit last month, describing it as a "special gift" for the country's Catholics.

Pope Francis has also announced plans to visit Belgium this year, with a possible trip home to Argentina.

He has three coming trips planned within Italy, the first of which will be to Venice on Apr 28.

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Pope Francis to visit Singapore from Sept 11 to 13; will also stop over in Indonesia on Sept 3

Saturday, 13 Apr 2024

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Pope Francis’ visit to Singapore is part of a 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region. - PHOTO: AFP

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Pope Francis will visit Singapore from Sept 11 to 13, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore confirmed on April 12.

The Pope will also celebrate mass, which is tentatively set to take place on Sept 12.

In a statement on its website, the Archdiocese said it was sharing the news of the Pope’s visit, which was confirmed by The Holy See, with great “jubilation and thanksgiving”.

Cardinal William Goh, the Archbishop of Singapore, said of the visit: “It has been 38 years since we had a visit from the Vicar of Christ to Singapore, when Pope St John Paul II honoured us with a visit on 20 November 1986.

“It is my hope that this visit of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, will bring renewed fervour to all Catholics in Singapore, uniting them in faith and mission, especially in these most challenging of times.”

The Archdiocese statement added: “As we prepare for His Holiness’ visit, let us, as a community, pray for the continued health and safety of the Holy Father and ask the Lord to grant us a truly meaningful and grace-filled visit.”

Earlier on April 2, a spokesman for Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “Singapore welcomes a visit by Pope Francis.”

The tour, which had been earlier scheduled for August, will mark only the second papal visit to Singapore.

The Singapore Government, the Holy See and local church officials are discussing details of Pope Francis’ visit.

More information about the visit will be released progressively to the public at www.popefrancis2024.sg

There are about 243,000 Roman Catholics in Singapore, according to the 2020 census.

Pope Francis’ visit to Singapore is part of a 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region.

He will also visit Jakarta in Indonesia from Sept 3 to 6, Port Moresby and Vanimo in Papua New Guinea from Sept 6 to 9, and Dili in Timor-Leste from Sept 9 to 11, according to the Vatican.

Reports of an Asia-Pacific tour first appeared in January in two Catholic media outlets: America and EWTN Vatican.

On March 31, Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas confirmed that Pope Francis would visit Indonesia on Sept 3.

Outgoing Indonesian President Joko Widodo reportedly invited the pontiff to visit Indonesia – which has the world’s largest Muslim population, numbering about 242 million – in June 2022, as part of efforts to promote religious tolerance.

The last papal visit to Singapore was almost 40 years ago, when the late Pope John Paul II drew thousands of Roman Catholics during a brief stopover in 1986, which lasted just five hours.

In January 2022, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong was granted a brief audience with Pope Francis during a working visit to the Vatican City. His visit was to reaffirm bilateral ties with the city-state and came a month after the Roman Catholic Church marked its 200th anniversary in Singapore. - The Straits Times/ANN

Tags / Keywords: Singapore , Pope Francis , Visit , Singapore , Sept 11-13

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