[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 42 (Tuesday, April 12, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E618]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNITION AND REMEMBRANCE OF THE LIFE AND CAREER OF POPE JOHN PAUL II

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                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 12, 2005

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the 
opportunity to recognize and remember the life of Pope John Paul II.
  The world mourns the passing of Pope John Paul II and the great void 
he leaves behind as a force for good in the world. Pope John Paul 
inspired peoples of all faiths in every corner of the globe by his 
living example of faith, justice, peace and love. His twenty-six years 
as the Holy Father transformed the Roman Catholic Church and 
revitalized the more than one billion Roman Catholics around the world.
  Pope John Paul worked tirelessly to advance human dignity, social 
justice and peace. His powerful presence helped to defeat communism in 
his home country of Poland and contributed to the fall of the Soviet 
Union. The Pope urged his fellow Catholics in Poland to support Lech 
Walesa and the Solidarity movement in a peaceful and non-violent 
campaign that eventually led to Solidarity's successful victory in 
Poland's first post-communist election.
  Pope John Paul was a great champion and advocate for the poor, the 
sick and the forgotten, particularly in the developing world. He loved 
children, and often appeared to take great joy from speaking to and 
meeting with young people. Pope John Paul traveled the globe inviting 
and mobilizing young people to a life of faith and to stand in support 
of the rights of those less fortunate than themselves.
  The life of Pope John Paul II has been a blessing for Catholics and 
people of all faiths. His moral and spiritual leadership of the Roman 
Catholic Church and for all mankind make his life an example for all of 
us. Let us honor the life of John Paul and express our humble gratitude 
for the service, sacrifice and prayers he shared with all of us until 
the hour of his death.

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