|
|
Article: A farewell to remember: what John Paul II's death taught us.
- Article from:
- Commonweal
- Article date:
- June 3, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Commonweal Foundation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Some have expressed understandable reservations, even skepticism, about the enormous popular outpouring, especially among the young, at John Paul II's death. Where, it is asked, did the power of celebrity stop and the draw of sanctity begin? As one of those who were deeply moved by the pope's death and funeral, I wanted to try to sort out my own reactions.
I am well aware that John Paul's legacy, especially for the church, is likely to be a mixed one. It is not my intent, though, to offer a critique of his ecclesiastical politics or his theological thought. Rather, I want to speculate on why his death touched so many of us. My concerns as a scholar of Renaissance ...