Posted on: Saturday, April 2, 2005

EDITORIAL
The world watches as the pope struggles

As the hours passed yesterday, tens of thousands gathered outside Pope John Paul II's quarters at St. Peter's Square in Rome and in churches and communities across the globe to pray for the pope as he neared death.

John Paul's final moments and struggle with pain have been inspiring and at the same time heart-wrenching.

The sheer number of people affected by these painful and emotional moments reflects the impact of John Paul's 26 years of leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.

John Paul's storied life and rise in the ranks of the Catholic Church, leading more than a billion Catholics worldwide, culminated in a papacy of global importance that has had tremendous influence on events that have shaped the world, including his role in the fall of communism. His deep conservative convictions and his strength and activism resulted in his role as both a unifier on a world stage and as a controversial figure.

Indeed, John Paul is a man of many milestones, including surviving an assassination attempt in 1981— and then passing forgiveness on the man who shot him. John Paul's passion for helping the poor and afflicted and his ability to affect the consciousness of world leaders have left an indelible mark on world history.

And like the countless others here in Hawai'i and throughout the world, our hearts and thoughts are with John Paul as he prepares for a new beginning.