Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington

(From the Oct. 23, 2003 edition of the Inland Register)

(Editor’s note: Bishop Skylstad sent this column from Rome, where he is spending Oct. 10-20 in various meetings as vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.)

This is an unusual week to be in Rome. Pope John Paul II is celebrating his silver anniversary as pope on Oct. 16, and Mother Theresa will be beatified on Sunday, Oct. 19. Bishop Wilton Gregory and I are here to meet with the various Vatican congregations for the United States Catholic Conferences of Bishops. Bishop Gregory is president of our conference.

My first trip to Rome was in 1978. On the way, I stopped in Norway with my father. We were visiting family there when my relatives excitedly told me that a new pope had been elected. I had not even heard his name. He was John Paul I.

I will never forget the great celebration in St. Peter’s Square when the ceremony of his installation took place. Our region of bishops was only one of two groups of bishops who had the opportunity to visit with him. On the day before I was scheduled to leave Rome, Pope John Paul I died after being pope for only 33 days. He captured the world with his smile and his affectively personal style.

The afternoon before many of us left Rome, we had the privilege of going to the papal palace to view his body as it lay in state. Bishop Speltz, then the bishop of St. Cloud, Minn., said as we passed by body of the pope, “The light has gone out.” Indeed it had.

Then there was the election of a new pope. For the first time in over 400 years, a non-Italian was elected: Pope John Paul II of Poland. The world has come to know him very well. One of the shortest reigns of a pope has been followed by one of longest – the third-longest in our Church’s history. In so many ways, it has been a remarkable 25 years.

The election of a cardinal from a communist nation at the time was also remarkable. Early on in his pontificate, he began the practice of visiting the Church around the world, including that of his homeland. The collapse of communism in Eastern Europe was soon to occur in an extraordinary and sudden manner. On his visits around the world, he would kiss the ground upon his arrival in a particular country. The gesture was a powerful symbol of respect and humility.

Certainly one of the great legacies of Pope John Paul II will be his commitment to upholding the dignity of the human person and his commitment to peace and the social teaching of the Church. His writings, his visits to nations where human rights were violated, and his speeches called the world to respect every person and work for the betterment of the common good. He has continuously called upon affluent nations to share with the poor, and to build a world of justice that respects the rights and dignity of every human being.

Along with advocating the social teaching of the Church, he has continued to improve relationships with other religions. About 10 years ago I visited Morocco on behalf of Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops’ overseas development and emergency relief agency. While I was there, members of the Muslim community indicated to me how much they appreciated Pope John Paul’s visit to this Muslim nation, even though the visit lasted a mere four hours. At the time, he signed a concordat of friendship with King Hassan II.

His writings, including encyclicals and apostolic letters, have been voluminous. They have reflected a call to holiness, to solidarity with the human family, to peace, to fidelity in our Catholic tradition, to a culture of life.

In addition, he began visiting with each of the world’s bishops as they made their ad limina visits to Rome every five years. His schedule is already full with other pastoral activity and Church business. Meeting with the world’s bishops has represented an enormous investment of his time and energy. During his 25 years he has visited over 100 nations, as well as the parishes in his own diocese of Rome. That pastoral presence alone has been a remarkable change in the role of the papacy.

These have been extraordinary times in which we have lived, and Pope John Paul’s commitment, even in his weakening physical condition, has profoundly touched a world community.

The beatification of Mother Theresa calls to mind her solidarity with the human family in another but very powerful way. Clearly she and the Holy Father had a very special relationship. She looked to the ministry of service among the poorest of the poor as her special charism and that of the community which she founded, the Missionaries of Charity. Their presence is now world-wide, and the spirit of Mother Theresa has captured much of the world community in admiration and appreciation. Her message is clear and simple. Equally evident is her fidelity to the simple but profound Gospel teaching: Each human person has dignity, a reflection of the presence of Jesus. It is a message each and every one of us in the world needs to hear again and again.

Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa of Calcutta: Both of these witnesses to the Gospel remind us that we live in an imperfect world of hurt and pain. Despite that reality, we can always rejoice in the saving presence of Jesus who calls us to the kingdom in the love of God and one another. May our lives reflect commitment, gratitude and joy on this great journey of life. Yes, lights go out, but others take their place and continue to shine. May ours shine brightly.

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