The Catholic Weekly 24 May 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 13 24, May, 2020 underpinned much of the na- tion’s history and culture, and the hope of a better future. One man and a revolution In an interview late last year, Janusz Kotanski, Polish Ambassador to the Vatican, reflected: “The Communist party was always saying: ‘Yes, we are here for you! We are for the workers! For the poor peo- ple! However, these people were now saying, no. It was a kind of revolution that was absolutely peaceful. The peo- ple were praying their rosaries and on the gate of the Gdansk shipyard, there was a portrait of John Paul II… I know it was also, of course, the weakness of the Soviet Union’s econ- omy, Ronald Reagan’s very good and strong policies. However, who started it? Who did it? St John Paul II, Karol Wojtyla and the millions of Poles who were not afraid.” A church in relative disarray World-changing as was the Pope’s influence on Eastern Europe, it would be wrong to assess the papacy of John Paul II primarily in political terms. He was a man of the Church, and the Church would be his greatest concern for the length of his 27 year pontifi- cate. The aftermath of the Sec- ond Vatican Council, which in itself was a colossal achieve- ment for the Catholic Church, was hardly blissful. The Coun- cil produced teachings both rich and promising of genuine renewal. However, the diverse agendas of a number of influ- ential theologians and many clergy meant that an atmos- phere of uncertainty and even confusion dominated. Priesthood and religious life waver Numerous priests and reli- gious abandoned their com- mitments. Liturgical exper- iments abounded, at times projecting a superficial inter- pretation of the sacraments. Seminaries stumbled over what sort of formation was called for. It was not uncom- mon, as Emeritus Pope Ben- edict XVI pointed out early last year, for a highly deficient kind of moral theology to be taught to young seminarians and, of course, more widely as well. Initiative in a crisis John Paul II found the sit- uation of the Church in west- ern countries to be in a state of crisis. Along with genuine rejuvenation, there was divi- sion, dissent, laxity, and sub- sequently, as we know all too well, scandal. The heroism of this Pope was to put his all into a vigorous catechesis, and a call to order. Not everything was negotiable. There is dogma and there are objective moral norms. From his pen or under his auspices there emerged a series of re- medial documents, some of which are to be regarded as landmark teachings. Veritatis Splendor and courage In the camp of moral the- ology, one ought to mention the encyclical Veritatis Splen- dor . Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI considers this one of his most important contribu- tions to Church doctrine. In a 2014 interview, Benedict reflected that the Polish pon- tiff “did not ask for applause and never looked troubled when he was making difficult decisions … He acted in ac- cord with his faith and beliefs, and he was willing to endure blows against him. I could and should not imitate him, but I did try to continue his legacy and his mission the best way I could.” There is barely any aspect of doctrine that John Paul II failed to revisit, not only to confirm the faith of Catholic Christians but to deepen their understanding and apprecia- tion for what is referred to as “the deposit of the faith.” Lon- gevity, against the odds posit- ed by the near fatal assassina- PolishAuxiliary Bishop KarolWojtyla of Krakow, wearing sunglasses during the SecondVatican Council in 1963. PHOTO: CNS/GIANCARLO GIULIANI, CATHOLIC PRESS PHOTO The pontiff reaches out to young women during World Youth Day in Denver in 1993. PHOTO: CNS PHOTO/JOE RIMKUS JR. tion attempt, in 1981, enabled him to do this. New vistas – theology of the body, social teaching Yet he also opened new ho- rizons. A well known example are his teachings on marriage and human sexuality, often referred to as theology of the body. He promoted the goal of a civilisation of love, insist- ing that the fundamental vo- cation of the human person is the vocation to love – sacri- ficial love, that is, be it in the self-giving form of marriage or that of celibacy. His re- flections on the Holy Trinity represent a fresh revisiting of what is the central article of the Church’s faith. He ac- complished this in the form of numerous addresses in the lead up to the new Millenni- um. Under the leadership of this far-sighted and charis- matic successor of Peter, the Church would receive noth- ing less than its first universal catechism in over 400 years. He also commissioned the first ever compendium of the social doctrine of the Catholic Church. Holding strong amid many liturgical abuses During his watch, the massive revamping of the canon law of the Church, initiated by St Paul VI, would reach its success- ful conclusion. Liturgical abuses were already being responded to at the time of the Polish Pope’s election, but his teaching and exam- ple greatly helped to ensure the preservation of dignity and reverence, especially for the Eucharistic Sacrifice and Presence. Ecumenism It would be unfair to de- scribe John Paul II’s pontifi- cate as principally reformist. His vision led to an incred- ibly extensive outreach to the world. Of the 195 nations currently existing, the Pope visited 127. His reception was almost without exception warm, or outstanding, and at times tumultuously joyful, engaging even those not of the Catholic persuasion. He moved ecumenism and in- ter-religious dialogue onto a new scale. A faith that made others question their lives St John Paul II’s faith was a livedandtestedfaiththatmoved people to reassess their own re- lationshipwithGod. Numerous have been the conversions to Christianity, and to the Catho- lic Church that he was instru- mental to. So also did he attract many young people – especially through the World Youth Days - to commit to a more genuine practice of Catholic Christian- ity, even sparking a revival of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Everywhere at once In a short reflection of this kind, important things get left out, and so it will be subject to any number of criticisms. Why not mention his promotion of the Divine Mercy devotion? (I just did!) Why not his pro-life manifesto Evangelium Vitae? Why not his extraordinary at- tachment to the Virgin Mary? Yes, why not. There are so many great books to read, and there will be more to come. When Pope Benedict XVI was asked whether he always regarded John Paul II as a saint, he replied: “The reality that John Paul II was a saint became increasingly apparent to me in the years I worked to- gether with him.” Though he would beatify Karol Wojtyla in one of the quickest such acts in history, it would be Pope Francis who would declare him St John Paul II. Some would like to excessively con- trast the present Holy Father with his predecessor. They are certainly different, but not in their catholicity, and both pontiffs will be known for their emphasis on compassion and their apostolic fervour. An extraordinary role - but an ordinary man In looking upon John Paul II as a kind of hero, and ac- knowledging his personal ho- liness, we must not lose sight of his humanity, his struggles, his suffering, and even how, in spite of his prudence and wisdom, there were those who managed to deceive him and others who undermined him. Every Pope, and even the saints, must admit to failings of one kind or another. This is the human lot. Yet the prov- idence of God was showing itself in full colour in so much of what this humble and per- severing man was able to ac- complish in 27 years at the helm of Peter’s boat. Fr Max Polak is a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei currently based in Brisbane. He has written extensively on St John Paul II Pope John Paul II kisses a baby during a general audience at the Vatican in 2001. PHOTO: CNS PHOTO/PAOLO COCCO, REUTERS FEATURE