Pope John Paul II

Overview

The man from Poland will be remembered as the "people's Pope." Respected around the world by both Christians and non-Christians, the reach of Pope John Paul II extended across the globe.

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His papacy is remembered by his tireless ecumenical approach to accommodate other Christian sects as well as to forge a better understanding with the Islamic world. At his funeral, many non-Christian faiths were represented, including representatives from Islam and Buddhism.

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John Paul II emphasized what he called the "universal call to holiness" and attempted to define the Catholic Church's role in the modern world. He spoke out against ideologies and politics of communism, feminism, imperialism, relativism, materialism, fascism (including Nazism), racism and unrestrained capitalism. In many ways, he fought against oppression, secularism and poverty. Although he was on friendly terms with many Western heads of state and leading citizens, he reserved a special opprobrium for what he believed to be the corrosive spiritual effects of modern Western consumerism and the concomitant widespread secular and hedonistic orientation of Western populations.

Related Topics:
Universal call to holiness - Communism - Feminism - Imperialism - Relativism - Materialism - Fascism - Nazism - Racism - Capitalism - Oppression - Secularism - Poverty - Western - Consumerism

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John Paul II affirmed traditional Catholic teachings by opposing abortion, contraception, capital punishment, embryonic stem cell research, human cloning, euthanasia, war, but accepting evolution. He also defended traditional teachings on marriage and gender roles by opposing divorce, same-sex marriage and the ordination of women. His conservative views were sometimes criticized as regressive. John Paul II called upon followers to vote according to Catholic teachings, and suggested that politicians who strayed be denied the Eucharist.

Related Topics:
Abortion - Contraception - Capital punishment - Embryonic stem cell research - Human cloning - Euthanasia - War - Evolution - Marriage - Gender role - Divorce - Same-sex marriage - Ordination of women - Eucharist

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John Paul II became known as the "Pilgrim Pope" for travelling greater distances than had all his predecessors combined. According to John Paul II, the trips symbolized bridge-building efforts (in keeping with his title as Pontifex Maximus, literally Master Bridge-Builder) between nations and religions, attempting to remove divisions created through history.

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He beatified 1,340 people, more people than any previous pope. The Vatican asserts he canonized more people than the combined tally of his predecessors during the last five centuries, and from a far greater variety of cultures. Whether he had canonized more saints than all previous popes put together, as is sometimes also claimed, is difficult to prove, as the records of many early canonizations are incomplete, missing, or inaccurate. However, it is known that his abolition of the office of Promotor Fidei ("Promoter of the Faith" and the origin of the term Devil's Advocate) streamlined the process. He has been criticized by many for doing this.

Related Topics:
Vatican - Devil's Advocate

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Pope John Paul II died on 2 April 2005 after a long fight against Parkinson's disease and other illnesses. Immediately after his death, many of his followers demanded that he be elevated to sainthood as soon as possible, shouting "Santo Subito" (meaning "Saint immediately" in Italian). Both L'Osservatore Romano and Pope Benedict XVI, Pope John Paul II's successor, referred to John Paul II as "Great".

Related Topics:
2 April - 2005 - Parkinson's disease - Sainthood - Italian - L'Osservatore Romano - Pope Benedict XVI

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John Paul II was succeeded by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger of Germany, the former head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith who had led the Funeral Mass for John Paul II.

Related Topics:
College of Cardinals - Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger - Germany - Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

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