Posted on: Sunday, April 3, 2005
The pope remembered
Members of a variety of faith communities on O'ahu reacted to the pope's death:
"Given his office, he could not help have an impact. The other factor is the length of his time as pope: This gave him an opportunity to leave his mark. He really shifted the emphasis on travel, with his willingness to go out into the world and be seen. I think his papacy can be characterized by the tone of making church visible in the world."
Bishop Richard Chang, Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i
"As a human being, when I hear this kind of news I feel sad. He has been a tremendous leader in the spiritual world. As a Buddhist we know that everything is impermanent. No one can escape from this universal truth. ... Eventually no matter how great a person may be, physically his existence will come to an end. But his work, his legacy will continue for a long time to come."
The Rev. Thomas Okano, director, Buddhist Study Center
"It is a sad day when a human being of the magnitude of the pope passes away. ... (H)e's done the world goodness. What he stood for, the love, peace compassion and justice, is celebrated. It is sad for me as a Muslim ... to see such a beautiful soul pass away. He has shown through the years that he is consistently compassionate, consistently kind, consistently spoke against evil ... he has left big shoes that not too many people can fill."
Hakim Ouansafi, president, Muslim Association of Hawai'i
"I think he was a real stabilizer and could have been divisive if he had chosen to. But in many, many ways he pulled people together. He was a strong leader but exercised that with restraint. He led by character rather than rhetoric. I question what the future will be without him."
Ralph Moore, pastor, Hope Chapel, Kane'ohe
"It's time to return home. Everybody has to face it ... Asians have a little different outlook. He was a good, great leader, but it was time to go. I think he was accepting that himself; that's why he didn't go to the hospital."
The Rev. Duane Pang, Taoist priest, Wah Kong Temple
"We know how important it is to have respected leaders who speak out against injustice and for tolerance. ... (H)e urged reconciliation with the Jews and denounced anti-Semitism. He visited a synagogue, recognized the state of Israel where he traveled, and went to a concentration camp. These types of activities lead to understanding and peace, opening doors for discussion. ... He will be much missed by people of all faiths."
Dana Washofsky, president, board of trustees, Temple Emanu-El
"He was a great man. My husband and I, we have a great respect and we are very sad. We don't have only one way to worship. I have a great respect for all other religions. He's a great religious leader. We are all going for the same thing, but we have different paths."
Papia Sengupta, president of the Hindu organization LOTUS
"He has been a longtime leader ... in a way he's helped the cause of religion for every tradition. He was an articulate man who began as an ordinary person, and ... rose to the top of his church. He often supported the Buddhist-Christian dialogue while maintaining his own convictions ... and he tried to reconcile with the Orthodox church. ... Anyone who tries to develop acceptance is a highly respected person in the world."
The Rev. Al Bloom, retired minister, Honpa Hongwanji and retired religion professor, University of Hawai'i
