SUBSCRIBEGoodbye, Santo Papa
Pope John Paul II, probably the most influential head in present times, has finally “abandoned himself to Christ” ending 26 years of being the pontiff to more than a billion Catholics in the world, the third longest. 26 years of helping shape modern history and rising to the challenges brought about by wars, hatred, religious divisions, oppression, poverty and at the same time, preaching against contraception, same sex unions, euthanasia, women priests and a host of other issues that alienated some liberal catholics.
Well loved not only by Filipinos but by countless men and women irregardless of creed, age and race. My one and only glimpse of this man was during the last day of the 10th World Youth Day celebrated way back in 1995 at the Luneta, Manila where the biggest crowd ever has gathered for him: estimated at 4 -5 million people from different walks of life. That memory is stil alive, even if what I saw of him was just his back, inside his pope mobile, a good distance from me.
But it is really with great sadness that this pope has left this world. It might be difficult to find another one like him.
Goodbye, Santo Papa.
