JMJ
Dear Catholic Exchange,
God Bless you all for this wonderful page. I know all of us are grieved over the loss of our Holy Father Pope John Paul II. I am young and this is the only Pope I have ever known. In my life as an actor and drama teacher our Holy Father’s words have led me and inspired me to a higher pursuit in this area. His love and example have helped lead me back to the Church my wife and I now so love. I wept most sorrowfully with my wife at his passing.
This brings me to my point. I have noticed in the the beautiful and heartfelt article on your web page by Heidi Hess Saxton she speaks of our Holy Father as having “found himself at the Gates of Heaven. No doubt Saint Faustina herself was there to welcome him, along with his other good friend, Blessed Mother Teresa.” As wonderful as this image is and as hopeful as I am for it I believe it does not do our Holy Father any good. He may of course have been welcomed straight into Our Lord’s arms, however at this time our prayers for the repose of his soul will do him the greatest honor. It is our desiring and working for our fellow man's salvation that would have most pleased him, and it is a bad habit among some Catholics today to canonize loved ones at their death. I am not a protestant. At my death I would want your prayers not your praise. If we want our Papa to pray for us in heaven we must, in all love and honor, pray for him to reach it!
I have nothing but the most honorable intentions in writing this and thank Heidi for her talents in sharing her love of our Beloved Pope John Paul II.
In Christ and Mary,
Eric Domuret
Eric:
We couldn't agree with you more. And in fact, the Holy Father himself in his Last Testament (released April 7) implored the faithful to pray for him fervently upon his death and to have many Masses offered for the repose of his soul.
We will make the correction or add an editor's note to Ms. Saxton's article for we would not want anyone to be confused over the presumption of sanctity we may desire to apply to our beloved pope.
Many blessings to you,
Luisa Wheeler
Associate Editor
CatholicExchange.com
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