[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 36 (Monday, April 4, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3129-S3130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING POPE JOHN PAUL II

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, a number of years ago, maybe 15 years ago, I 
had the opportunity to read a biography of Pope John Paul II. It was a 
big book given to me by a friend. I started reading it and I couldn't 
put it down. It read like a novel. He was a tremendously interesting, 
fascinating, wonderful human being I came to appreciate. I did not know 
much about the Pope, but after reading that book I tried to read 
everything I could about him.
  The only personal situation I ever had involving the Pope was shortly 
after I read that book I traveled to Central America with a 
congressional delegation. This was during the time of the Iran contra 
conflict. One of the people we met was the Interior Minister of 
Nicaragua, a Communist. I met him. He was a pleasant man. He was a 
Catholic priest.
  He talked about the fact he had been to Nevada. He was a relief 
priest. He would relieve priests in rural Nevada for their vacations. 
He talked about Battle Mountain where he had administered the last 
rites to a sheep herder. He was a very pleasant man. I learned later, 
however, about a story when the Pope had been through Nicaragua 
earlier. There was a long line of priests, as is traditional in the 
Catholic faith, that kiss the ring of the father, the Pope. When this 
man came by, the Pope withdrew his ring. He knew what this man had done 
in Nicaragua. He was a Communist, and he did not like what he had done, 
and he didn't kiss his ring; the Pope pulled it back.
  Pope John was a man of conviction and very strong feelings. One of 
the strongest convictions he had was about communism. He knew what it 
had done to his country of birth.
  He is exemplary of why the former Soviet Union could beat down 
religion in every country it oppressed except Poland. It couldn't do 
it. And Pope John was an example of how the Poles reacted to communism. 
They tried to shut the schools. The Catholic schools flourished during 
all the time of communism. They could not shut them down.
  This weekend, the Catholic Church lost its spiritual leader and a 
spiritual leader of the world. Just because you are not of that faith 
does not take away from the spiritual power of this man. I acknowledge 
his spiritual power. In the book I read, I learned it was not unusual 
for Pope John Paul II to pray for 4 or 5 hours at a time. He was a man 
of great spirituality. Without any reservation, the world lost its 
spiritual leader and incredible role model. He displayed amazing 
strength, courage, and compassion throughout his life, his life of 
service to his fellow man.
  As we know, he was born in Poland near Krakow. During his 84 years, 
he had enormous impact on the people and politics of his time. His 
lifetime and acts are full of lessons for all of us. But as so often is 
the case with life, you may not have guessed this from his early years. 
He was also a gifted athlete and extremely smart. He spoke fluently 
seven languages. His favorite sport was soccer. He, in his adult life, 
was an actor. He enjoyed acting. He wrote poetry. At the university he 
studied literature and philosophy and still found time to take part in 
the theater they had, becoming what many have called a gifted actor. 
That is what they called him at the time. For a while, his ambition was 
to be a professional actor.
  Pope John did not become part of the priesthood as a teenager. He was 
in his midtwenties before he became a priest. In the early 1940s, his 
life led him to the priesthood and his ultimate calling. He was elected 
not long thereafter to be head of the Catholic Church in 1978. For 27 
years he has changed lives and touched the world in countless

[[Page S3130]]

ways. Some say he was too conservative. Some say he was not progressive 
enough. But he made his mark wherever he went.
  I will remember the Pope for the strength he showed throughout his 
life. It all started in reading the book about this great man. In the 
face of communism, he stood with the people of Eastern Europe and 
empowered them in their pursuit of freedom. In the face of hunger and 
despair, he challenged powerful nations, including our own to do more 
to reach out and lift up our struggling neighbors. In the rush to war, 
he sought peace always. At the end of his days when sickness had taken 
his physical strength, he still showed grace and courage in tending to 
his flock.
  The last pictures we see of the Pope in some of our minds' eye, 
having gone through surgery, he was still standing in front of the 
throng that came to see him, and still doing his very best to speak. He 
couldn't speak. How frustrating that must have been.
  There are many lessons we can draw from the life of Pope John Paul 
II. He traveled the globe more than any Pope in history. He was a skier 
in addition to being the Pope. He skied while he was the Pope.

  He did not have to travel the world, but he did, realizing that he 
brought the spotlight of media and attention to the cause of many who 
otherwise would have been ignored.
  He was shot by a would-be assassin. As soon as he was physically 
able, he went to the prison cell of the man who shot him and forgave 
him in the prison cell in a one-on-one meeting with his would-be 
assassin.
  We now know as a result of that assassin's attempt they developed a 
new vehicle for him. In this age of terror, the Popemobile is something 
we all understand. He waved to people from this little bulletproof 
vehicle which he rode around in like a golf cart. It was not a 
limousine. It was the Popemobile.
  He also reached out to leaders. He did not always agree with these 
leaders he reached out to, recognizing that problems are better solved 
by working together. In our own country, he reached out to former 
Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, and worked closely with 
our current President. He did not alienate or reject leaders who 
disagreed with him. He sought common ground in championing the causes 
of his fellow man.
  But ultimately, I believe the life of Pope John Paul II is a reminder 
that one man or one woman can make a difference. It does not matter 
where we are born. It does not matter what we aspire to early in life. 
It can change for the better. It does not matter what paths we have 
wandered. We all have the ability to rise up and help our fellow man in 
immeasurable ways. There is no better example of that than Pope John 
Paul II.
  As the world mourns the loss of the Pope, may we keep that lesson in 
mind, and find inspiration in his life and the work he has 
accomplished.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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