bluetoria
The life of Karol Woytila - Pope John Paul II - can only be described as truly remarkable. I would go as far as to say, he is the SINGLE most important human being of the 20th century. He, and he alone, literally changed the geography and the politics of the western world.
It was thanks to him the Cold War thawed. It was thanks to him the Berlin Wall was pulled down. Today, millions of people can enjoy a freedom and quality of life they could not have imagined, had it not for been for one man -
POPE JOHN PAUL II
He did so without great loss of life - the bloodless revolution. He is a man who transcends every Christian denomination and ought to be loved and admired by people of every faith throughout the world.
I wonder how many people know Karol Woytila was a young boy when his mother died. He was an engineering student at Krakov University when war broke out. He was engaged. His fiancee and her family were removed from their home by the Nazis, taken to a concentration camp, never to be seen again.
It was at that point Karol Woytila decided to devote his life to God. He has enjoyed his life to the full, his pastoral life, his papacy, his holidays, spent in his beloved mountains - he was a very fit, athletic, keenly intelligent, man.
I think John Paul II has suffered more than any of us realise. From the moment he was almost assassinated in Rome, through the progression of his Parkinson's disease and acutely painful osteoarthritis - none of this, not even the severity of the illness now confronting him have dampened his remarkable spirit.
My husband and I directed and produced the BBC tv coverage of the Pope's visit to Scotland. This was, at one and the same time daunting and stimulating - the first day transmitting live to over 80 countries for three hours, and for over five hours the following days plus inserts of recorded events.
We enjoyed so many pre-papal visit and post-papal visit parties with the top prelates in Scotland. The Papal visit to Scotland was Spiritual, but it was also great fun (and a lot of work).
I'll never forget the day of the Mass for over 300,000 people at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. The sun was splitting the pure blue sky, even the weather turned on the very best for John Paul II. So much so, people were collapsing and fainting with the heat. All the while, inside the outside broadcast control vehicle, we were watching this, freezing under the air conditioning.
After the Mass, as the Holy Father was driving round the huge park in his 'pope-mobile' en route to his helicopter, the vast crowd spontaneously broke into song. During the singing of one of the songs 'Will Ye No' Come Back Again', the Pope turned to Cardinal Winning and asked 'what are they singing? The Cardinal replied, this is a song of longing for a Prince... Bonnie Prince Charlie.' The Holy Father replied - 'A very nice young man. I met him two days ago.'
Of course, bluetoria, all of us who believe and, perhaps, even those who don't, will join with you and the worldwide family of Christians in thinking of, and remembering the truly remarkable Pope John Paul II in our prayers.
tsaria
