Special Prayer For Pope John Paul Ii

[Guest catholic.org]

Pope John Paul appeared close to death after heart failure and breathing problems, but was still conscious and in a stable but serious condition, the Vatican said.

 

Let us praying that our holy father's crossing to the other life may be painless and peaceful.

 

OREMUS (let us pray)

 

Blessed are you, Father,

who, in your infinite love,

gave us your only-begotten Son.

By the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate

in the spotless womb of the Virgin Mary

and was born in Bethlehem

 

 

He became our companion on life's path

and gave new meaning to our history,

the journey we make together

in toil and suffering,

in faithfulness and love,

towards the new heaven and the new earth

where You, once death has been vanquished, will be all in all.

 

Praise and glory to You, Most Holy Trinity,

you alone are God most high!

 

 

By your grace, O Father, the Jubilee Year began a new millennium, a time of deep purification and conversion wherein you invited the Church and the entire human race to return to you in and through your Son Jesus Christ. In such a wonderful way you have given us the gift of Pope John Paul II, in this significant moment in the history of the Church and the world, to teach, pastor and lead us into this millennium.

 

We now pray for your servant, Pope John Paul II who has faithfully and tirelessly proclaimed in word and deed the Good News of Jesus Christ. As he enters the "autumn" of his wonderful service, Lord, hold Him close to your heart; heal and comfort him, let Him know your deep, intimate presence as He continues to pour himself out for you and, in your Son, for the sake of the world.

 

May we truly encounter, as he prayed in the Jubilee,

a time of reconciliation between people,

and of peace restored among nations,

a time when swords are beaten into ploughshares

and the clash of arms gives way to songs of peace.

 

Father, grant great favor to our beloved Pope,

so docile to the voice of the Spirit,

faithful to the way of Christ,

diligent in listening to your Word

and in leading so many to the wellsprings of grace.

 

Praise and glory to You, Most Holy Trinity,

you alone are God most high!

 

Father, by the power of the Spirit,

strengthen the Church's commitment to the new evangelization Pope John Paul has proclaimed and guide our steps along the pathways of the world,

to proclaim Christ by our lives,

and to direct our earthly pilgrimage

towards the City of heavenly light as he has both taught and demonstrated through his own holy life, extraordinary teaching and prophetic invitation.

 

May Christ's followers show forth their love

for the poor and the oppressed;

may they be one with those in need

and abound in works of mercy;

may they be compassionate towards all,

that they themselves may obtain indulgence and forgiveness from you.

 

Praise and glory to You, Most holy Trinity,

you alone are God most high!

 

Father, grant that your Son's disciples,

purified in memory

and acknowledging their failings,

may be one, that the world may believe.

May dialogue between the followers of the great religions expand, and may all people discover the joy of being your children.

 

May the intercession of Mary, Mother of your faithful people, the one to whom this Pope consecrated himself, his fruitful service and the entire Church and world, in union with the prayers of the Apostles, the Christian martyrs, and the righteous of every people and every age, bring comfort, healing, mercy and consolation to your son, John Paul II and make this millennium a time of renewed hope and of joy in the Spirit for each of us and for the whole Church.

 

Praise and glory to You, Most Holy Trinity,

you alone are God most high!

 

To you, Almighty Father, Creator of the universe and of mankind, through Christ, the Living One, Lord of time and history, in the Spirit who makes all things holy, be praise and honor and glory now and forever.

 

Amen

[Guest Soldier of God]

Following is what is specified by Vatican law, according to Rev Thomas Reese, editor in chief of America, the Catholic weekly magazine, and author of "Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church".

 

When the pope dies, the prefect of the papal household, Bishop James Harvey, informs the "camerlengo" or chamberlain, Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo, who must verify his death.

 

He must do this in the presence of the papal master of ceremonies, Archbishop Piero Marini, the cleric prelates of the Apostolic Camera and the secretary of the Apostolic Camera.

 

The secretary of the Apostolic Camera draws up a death certificate.

 

The camerlengo then tells the vicar of Rome, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, of the pope's death and the vicar informs the people of Rome.

 

In the meantime, the prefect of the papal household tells the dean of the college of cardinals, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who in turn informs the rest of the college, the ambassadors accredited to the Holy See and the heads of nations.

 

While this is the formal procedure, most people will learn of the pope's death from the media.

 

As late as 1903, at the death of Pope Leo XIII, a pope's death was verified by striking the pontiff's forehead with a silver hammer. It may also have been used on John XXIII, who died in 1963, according to America weekly's website.

[Luke_Wilbur]

A Final Prayer

 

Jesus said."Abide in Me, and I in you... for apart from Me you can do nothing."

 

John 15:4-5

 

I leave you now with this prayer: that the Lord Jesus will reveal Himself to each one of you, that He will give you the strength to go out and profess that you are Christian, that He will show you that He alone can fill your hearts. Accept His freedom and embrace His truth, and be messengers of the certainty that you have been truly liberated through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This will be the new experience, the powerful experience, that will generate, through you, a more just society and a better word.

 

God bless you and may the joy of Jesus be always with you!

 

[L.Osservatore Romano, 11-5-79, 2]

 

Please Forward this to your Family, Friends and Neighbors

[Luke_Wilbur]

Finally at rest after years of crippling disease, Pope John Paul II's body lay in state Sunday, his hands clutching a rosary, his pastoral staff under his arm. Millions prayed and wept at services across the globe, as the Vatican prepared for the ritual-filled funeral and conclave that will choose a successor.

 

Television images gave the public its first view of the pope since his death: lying in the Vatican's frescoed Apostolic Palace, dressed in crimson vestments and a white bishop's miter, his head resting on a stack of gold pillows. A Swiss Guard stood on either side as diplomats, politicians and clergy paid their respects at his feet.

 

An estimated 100,000 people turned out at St. Peter's Square for a morning Mass and thousands more -- tourists, Romans, young and old -- kept coming throughout the day, filling the broad boulevard leading to St. Peter's Basilica. They clutched rosaries and newspaper photos of the late pontiff as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder to pray for the soul of "our beloved John Paul."

 

Source

http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/20...pnews/top01.txt

 

President Bush

 

U.S. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush will lead a small delegation attending the funeral, spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters today.

 

``I'm not worried about heads of state coming to Rome,'' said Mayor Walter Veltroni at a press conference today. ``It's not the first time we are organizing an international event, even though nothing compares in emotion to what we have before us.''

 

The Italian Interior Ministry said funeral plans included adding 6,430 additional police and security officers in Rome. There will be more than 800 officers on motorcycles, according to a ministry statement.

 

At midday in Rome today, police opened the barricades at the end of Via della Conciliazione, the avenue that leads from Castel Sant Angelo, formerly a papal fortress, to the Vatican. Thousands of people charged down the road to secure a place at the front of the line for the public viewing.

 

St. Peter's

 

By 2 p.m. the 20-foot-wide line stretched back to the castle. St. Peter's will remain open for viewing until the funeral, except for a three-hour stretch each night between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.

 

The city will be setting up portable beds for about 15,000 people at several locations with free bus transportation to St. Peter's, Veltroni said. As many as 5,000 of those beds will be at the Rome fairgrounds, and campgrounds will be provided with a capacity for several thousands people.

 

To accommodate chartered tour buses arriving from as far away as John Paul's native Poland, Rome is setting up 11 parking areas with capacity for 3,980 buses carrying 197,500 people, according to the city government's Web site.

 

Once the funeral ends, the official nine-day mourning period begins, which leads up to the start of the conclave. Only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote. Currently there are 117 cardinals of voting age, with all but three appointed by Pope John Paul.

 

The cardinals are sworn to secrecy and would risk excommunication for talking openly about possible successors. Dionigi Tettamanzi, the 71-year-old archbishop of Milan, is the leading Italian candidate, daily Corriere della Sera reported, without saying where it got the information. Francis Arinze of Nigeria, 72, is regarded as an ``outsider'' who may become a top candidate.

 

Source:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=100...F78R2c&refer=us

[Guest Julie S.]

This was sent to me by email. Does any one know if these are the actual last words of the Pope?

 

Pope John Paul II's Last Words

 

" I love you, With my every breath, With all I have left, From the deepest depths, Of my heart, I love you.

 

With all of my strength, With a thousand miles' length, Every thought I think, And each, I love you.

 

For the length of forever, As long as I can remember, Through good and bad weather, For always, I love you.

 

When no one is there, When you think no one cares, When love seems too rare, Remember, I love you.

 

When everything's gone, When all has withdrawn, When hopelessness dawns, Don't forget, I love you.

 

When you fall down, When your dreams come unwound, When hope can't be found, Be happy, I love you.

 

When you make mistakes, When you're filled with hate, When you're old and gray, Even then, I love you.

 

Until the very end of days, Until my breath is taken away, Until death separates our ways, Even after then, I love you.

 

Tell the Commonwealth Queen, raise my Almighty's Helestone, my great God of forces, my successor.

 

I, love, you. "

 

Pope John Paul II's Last Words

[Guest Mrs. Mishima]

This was sent to me by email. Does any one know if these are the actual last words of the Pope?

 

Pope John Paul II's Last Words (I won't repeat the whole thing here)

 

I've seen this quoted elsewhere, almost always in connection with geologist Gary Denke, who is involved with somewhat esoteric work around Stonehenge. In truth, it's the line involving the Queen and Helestone (Heelstone) he claims is vital; most readers dismiss this as having any real connection with the Pope.

The poem itself seems to be public domain; I've seen it on other sites and have tried to track the author down without success. For all anyone knows our beloved John Paul II may have at one time written it, though it's doubtful he would have used English; this may be a heartfelt translation from Latin, Italian, or Polish.

Aside from the one cryptic line the sentiments sound like him, even the last whispered "...i...love...you...".

I know he could not speak at the end; it makes this all the more tragic, his last "Amen" more poignant.

Hope this helps, I've been curious myself.