contemplations on he-who-was-Karol Wojtyla

[lagilman]

The first memory I have of "the Pope" within my frame of reference was almost twenty-seven years ago, when an otherwise normal summer camp evening was interrupted by the news that the Pope had died. As most of my fellow campers and the staff went off to have some sort of solemn gathering, I was left in the company of the other Jewish campers and counselors left behind to watch us, wondering 'what's a pope and why are they all so sad that he'd died?'

Okay, so I was all of turning-eleven, and not really all that well-versed in religion or much of the world beyond a eleven-year-old's normal interests (in my case, books, horses, and surviving being the tallest kid in my age group, and yes, I know, that's all the height I ever got but I got it early). But until then, I'd managed to go without papal influence in my life.

It wasn't for another ten year that I realized how extraordinary that was.

Not the fact that that I had no truck with the Pope -- I was born and raised a Jew, so why would the pronouncements and preferences of the elader of another religion impact me? -- but that I was able to say that, and mean it... as a Jew.

Because, of course, what the Pope said and did has a huge impact on me-as-Jew. If not this Pope personally, than his predecessors, certainly. And his successor, potentially.

And this is why, although I feel a distant sadness for the loss of Karol Wojtyla, who seemed to be a good man, if not one I could always agree with, I find myself reading of his death more with concern than mourning. A concern grown out of a genetic memory of sorts; the awareness that times of transition within the Church have often been times of deep concern and outright fear for Jews-as-a-community.

(and that's without getting into the tangled brush of Issues I have with the Church and their views on and of women...)

And so, I will be watching the election of the next pope carefully, all the more so because it is not my leader they are electing.

Comments

[lizbetann]

Because, of course, what the Pope said and did has a huge impact on me-as-Jew. If not this Pope personally, than his predecessors, certainly. And his successor, potentially.

The reason I have as much respect for Karol Wojtyla as I do is because of his actions during WWII. Not only did he continue as a Catholic priest when the Nazi's outlawed Catholicism, but he risked his life to hide the people of his town who were Jewish.

He also was instrumental behind the Vatican apologizing for their inaction during the Holocast. Considering that he personally did everything in one man's power to protect his Jewish neighbors, the fact that he then stood up as head of the Church and apologized for not doing more is very striking.

Now, I did not (I just typed "do not"... habits hard to break) agree with Pope John Paul II on many, many, MANY things. But I respect the hell out of Father Karol Wojtyla.

Any future pope? Yeah, I'm watching carefully.

[lagilman]

tTechnically, the Church never admitted that they had done anything wrong, only that they had not what they might have. Which is as much as you'll ever get from any Place of Great Pride (man or institution), but is still a bit of a fudge to call it an "apology."

Splitting hairs, yeah, I know.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Well said. And your thoughts and feelings are very familiar to me. I'll be watching the next Pope's election with interest for exactly the same reasons.

[hoosier-red.livejournal.com]

Some of the potential popes listed by CNN are downright medieval -- apparently Cardinal Arinze holds the position that "...(the family is) scorned and banalized by pornography, desecrated by fornication and adultery, mocked by homosexuality, sabotaged by irregular unions and cut in two by divorce." Uh, yeah, I don't think so. And Tettamanzi is close to Opus Dei, whichis just kinda scary. I like Schönborn, but apparently the College of Cardinals wants to elect a "transition" pope who won't live long enough to put his own mark on the papacy, and Schönborn is only 60.

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Well said for all who are not Catholic, and anyone who belongs to a group the Church has persecuted (that covers most of us...)

"transition" pope

I think they should be a tad careful what they wish for...that's how that got John XXIII, ya' know... %^)