Editorial

Like John Paul II, let us pray and work to help heal our fractured world

“Bless us, Holy Father John Paul II. Bless the Lord’s Church on its journey, that it may be a pilgrim of hope. Bless this lacerated and disoriented humanity, that it may find the way back to its dignity and its highest vocation, that it may know the riches of God’s mercy and love.”
—Cardinal Pietro Parolin in a homily delivered on April 2 marking the 20th anniversary of the death of St. John Paul II

A message shared during a memorial Mass on April 2 in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican marking the 20th anniversary of the death of St. John Paul II offered a stark reminder of how much our fractured world is still desperately in need of healing.

And we believe those prayers for healing were at the forefront of John Paul II’s petitions during his pontificate, continued during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI and are front and center as Pope Francis guides our Church as its universal shepherd.

As people tasked with being our brothers and sisters’ keepers, we also need to continue our prayers for that healing.

St. John Paul never gave up in his prayers for humanity, Cardinal Parolin said during the homily of the Mass, even while “many of his appeals remained unfortunately unheeded, as happens even to great prophets.” And despite the trials and tribulations we currently see around the world, we cannot give up on humanity as well.

Cardinal Parolin, who began serving in the Vatican Secretariat of State under the late pope starting in 1986, recalled the legacy and spirituality of the Polish pope, whose pontificate of more than 26 years was the third longest in history.

The cardinal cited the late pope’s words he shared “with impressive force from the very first unforgettable homily at the inauguration of his pontificate: ‘Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ,’ ” who knows what humanity is meant to be and points the way to eternal life, Cardinal Parolin said.

Because of that conviction, the late pope “could address with authority and firmness not only the Catholic faithful, but also peoples and government leaders,” urging them to “be aware of their responsibility to defend justice, the dignity of human persons and peace,” Cardinal Parolin said.

That mission is far from over.

Despite recent victories in our efforts to build a culture of life, some in society still believe the killing of unborn children is a necessity and a right, and others believe assisted suicide should be the norm in our world.

Sadly, 20 years after John Paul II’s death, too many people in society continue to dismiss the tenet that the dignity of human life begins at conception and ends at natural death. Many also are hard-pressed to envision peace on Earth—especially with people of other faith traditions and cultures. As Catholics, we must never forget we are called to see Jesus in others and be Jesus for others.

Conflict spans the globe—in the Holy Land, between Russia and Ukraine, in Myanmar, South Sudan and in many other places where peace is desperately needed.

It is a peace we believe John Paul II and his successors have prayed for each day, a peace we each must also continue to keep as part of our Lenten petitions and beyond.

After the memorial Mass, dignitaries processed to St. John Paul’s tomb to pray. Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the papal vicar of Rome, read a prayer, asking for the saint to bless the world’s young people and the faithful so they would be “tireless missionaries of the Gospel today.

“Bless every family,” the cardinal said, underlining how the pope warned against “Satan’s assault against this precious spark of heaven that God has lit on Earth. Make us strong and courageous in defending the family.

“Pray for the whole world, scarred by so many injustices and lacerated by absurd wars, which turn the world into a bloody battlefield, deliver us from war, which is always a defeat for everyone,” Cardinal Reina said.

As we approach Holy Week and Christ’s resurrection at Easter, let us take Cardinal Parolin’s words to heart and pray for our “lacerated and disoriented humanity, that it may find the way back to its dignity and its highest vocation, that it may know the riches of God’s mercy and love.” It is through the Cross that true resurrected life is offered to us.

And may we, through God’s grace, follow Christ’s lead as pilgrims of hope on our earthly journey.

—Mike Krokos