Pope John Paul II is dying

[Fierce Critter]

A special report just came on the news. It doesn't look like the pope will last beyond today.

As a "lapsed Catholic", I feel some sadness over this that I don't generally feel for most of the celebrities & well-knowns I post R.I.P.'s for here. Though I strongly disagree with his traditionalist stance on many issues, I still highly respect the man for who he is.

It helps, also, that he's Polish - he was a big thing in my 100% Polish/Catholic household. I'm sure my mother is upset right now. I think I'll call her if he passes.

I hope this doesn't upset her too much. She turns 80 this year, and has been letting recent tragedies like the passing of her son and sister affect her, and it's been hard to pull her up out of depression. The pope is 84, and I'm really hoping she's not looking at the closeness of age too much. She's so healthy & lucid, I swear she'll make it to 100. But she scares me when she gets depressed over this stuff and starts talking about wishing she would just die. :unhappy:

- Title fixed per request

[Fierce Critter]

Ugh. Would a moderator PLEASE fix the title of this thread and add the 'e' on the end of Pope?

I hate that we can't edit titles on IPB.

Thanks in advance.

[JaneDead]

wow this is very saddening. i am not surprised though. every time i see him he doesn't look like he is doing well.

i, too, don't agree with his beliefs on many issues - but respect him for who he is and what he represents to a vast amount of people.

[JaneDead]

just read the r.i.p. on the perdue guy and wow. all these people dying makes me feel older than i am.

as a kid i remember some people dying but it was not such a big deal to me. and i was never aware of all the people who died so it didn't seem to me that people die every day. that was just not a reality to me then.

not that some of the people that have been dying lately have a huge impact on my life, living or dead, but more of the - wow, you can go at ANY time. and that really disturbs me sometimes.

[Fierce Critter]

These deaths are giving me anxiety over my parents.

My mom is turning 80, and my dad is 78. He had a quad bypass 4 years ago. They tell you flat that a bypass has an expected life of 20 years.

My parents seem to be in great health, and have lost NONE of their alertness. But my mother has been through so many family deaths, and my father has seen a ton of Knights of Columbus members he used to stand beside now lay in caskets themselves - including most recently, the guy who was probably his closest friend.

I get worried that they'll see all this death around them and either be worried about their own mortality, or worse, hasten it by "giving up".

God, I need to get back north. I should never have left. This is spazzing me out BIGTIME.

[JaneDead]

you will! you will be here soon.

[paradox]

[The pope is 84

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

somehow i thought he was older than that.

[JaneDead]

yeah the pope does seem VERY old. and to me 84 really is not that old considering i know people that age in fantastic shape/health. the pope to me just looks sooooo old and non-functioning.

[Nienna]

I like the pope. The near-dead catholic in me is sad.

[JaneDead]

i have been checking cnn through the day to find out more about him. and there was this line :

"During a Mass for the pope's health, the vicar of Rome, said John Paul had "abandoned himself to the hands of Christ.""

and it hit me that the pope is probably very much at peace with dying.

you know he believes he is "going to meet his maker" and i am sure to people who believe in that, it is a very comforting thought.

he lived a very long fullfilling life too. he did what he thought was his job and that was serving god. he is adored and respected by so many that will be saddened by his death but at the same time will feel exactly what i just stated here.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I really wasn't sure how old he was, but with all the talk about how poor his health is , for what seems like ages, i think i considered this a forgone conclusion like 5 years ago , i was amazed that he lasted this long considering all the talk about how bad off he is, and just the fact that he looks so sickly.

Im always mildly puzzled at the "sadness" from what i consider to be "true believers" upon another's dying. If i really (in this instance) bought into the "afterlife, hes on his way to heaven" heck i'd be almost HAPPY for these people. Way to go buddy!! Got out of this dump and into the good place! I'd be sad basically only for myself, at losing a friend , and even then, being a "believer" i'd know it was only temporary and it really wouldn't be to much concern.

Only have to hold out till i kick off and then get to spend the rest of eternity in the happy place with all my buddies and every good guy that ever lived? Good deal. In the grand scheme of eternity earth-death would barely rate as a footnote. Nothing all that sad to consider for people that really honestly buy into the concept.

Wish i was one of them actually. (any positive eternal-afterlife based scenario , not necessarily Catholicism)

Good luck sir. =)

[The_Dark]

People are sad about his possible death for, no offense, selfish reasons. The Pope, wether you follow his beliefs or not, has been part of our lives for a very long time. I can remember watching the smoke over the vatican when he was elected by the Cardnials.. I was young... can't remember exactly how young. I'm not even Catholic and I read his first book. He was/is a Good Man. Good Men are rare. We are sad that another of those rare gems is going to pass out of our lives. I just hope that his passing is as painless as possible.

[Rivet_HeadINC]

Now you all know, that I'm Pagan and that I don't believe in the whole "One God" theory, but this really kinda hits me. Not hard like it's hitting some people but still it's been getting to me.

I was raised Catholic and while I was growing up he was in power (I know that sounds bad, but it's the word to use)and everyone looked up to him. He was a strong, and still is a strong, man.

I guess that no matter what you religious belief is, I feel we should all look up to Pope John Paul II as a person who did so for so many people for such a long time.

Maybe it's that Catholic coming out in me, but I feel that we should have a moment of silence to honor who the man was, and what he stood for.............................Safe Travels my friend. :

[Black Sunday]

People are sad about his possible death for, no offense, selfish reasons. The Pope, wether you follow his beliefs or not, has been part of our lives for a very long time. I can remember watching the smoke over the vatican when he was elected by the Cardnials.. I was young... can't remember exactly how young. I'm not even Catholic and I read his first book. He was/is a Good Man. Good Men are rare. We are sad that another of those rare gems is going to pass out of our lives. I just hope that his passing is as painless as possible.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Many people are upset, especially of Polish descent, because he helped break up Communism in Poland in the 1980's and played apart in bankrupting the Soviet Union. He had a major influence on the cold war and in Wotojla's native country, Poland, which is also my parents native country.

There are regular prayers outside his statue in Hamtramck. If anyone cares, go check it out. Interesting to see what the college of cardinals will do next.

[Nienna]

People are sad about his possible death for, no offense, selfish reasons. The Pope, wether you follow his beliefs or not, has been part of our lives for a very long time. I can remember watching the smoke over the vatican when he was elected by the Cardnials.. I was young... can't remember exactly how young. I'm not even Catholic and I read his first book. He was/is a Good Man. Good Men are rare. We are sad that another of those rare gems is going to pass out of our lives. I just hope that his passing is as painless as possible.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My sentiments exactly!