Beatification Of John Paul II
- May 2nd, 2011
- Posted by EUEditor
Some one-million people were present in St Peter’s Square (1.5.11) for the beatification of the late Pope John-Paul II (picture); the great event not quite eclipsing ongoing tensions within the Catholic Church.
His successor, Pope Benedict XVI, designated 22nd October as the date for his veneration, as the “Blessed†John-Paul.
The proceedings, the first step towards his becoming a Saint, had a mediaeval touch, with the exhibition of a vial of the dead man’s blood
Not far in the shadows lurked the very contemporary matter of the abuse of children by clergy, and in places the covering-up of it, coinciding with the long incumbency of John-Paul II.
In Australia, as the celebrations went on in Rome, a Bishop resigned, saying he was forced to it after investigations against him, including one by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the faith (the Inquisition); for suggesting that married or widowed men, and women, might be ordained as priests.
It’s often been proposed that such a change, irksome to a small group who complained about the Bishop, William Morris, would provide priests in small communities where there are now none.
It would be especially so in regional dioceses like that of Bishop Morris, based on Toowoomba, (the city struck down by savage flooding at the start of this year; see EUAustralia Online, “Australia: Floods bring sudden loss of life”, 10.1.11).
See EUAustralia Online: “Vatican: Saints and Villains”, 20.2.11; “Trying time for Pope”, 15.9.10; “Pope atones on British tour”, 15.9.10.
Reference
Brooke Baskin, “Bishop quits in row with Vatican”, The Courier Mail, Brisbane, 2.5.11, p 3.
John Hooper, “John Paul II takes first step towards sainthood in Rome”, The Guardian, Manchester, 1.5.11. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/01/pope-john-paul-beatification-rome, (2.5.11).
NYT, NY, “The beatification of John Pail II”, 1.5.11. http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/05/01/world/europe/20110501pope.html, (2.5.11).
Picture turnbacktogod