John Paul II a true saint among men

AND so the suffering Pope, the Pope who inspired millions in the Roman Catholic Church and in other faiths too, has been laid to rest with honour, loving tributes and thanksgiving in the presence of hundreds of world leaders of every religion and race, and pilgrims from all corners of the Earth. Many will remember the drama of his election, one which broke a long succession of Italian popes and brought to the Vatican a man who had experienced the suffering of his own people in war at the hands of the nazis and subsequently under the iron yoke of communism.

His calling to the Papacy was one to sacrifice as subsequent events were to show.

The fit and athletic Pope who first found time to seek recreation skiing in the mountains, became the wounded survivor of a terrorist’s bullet which failed to end his ministry until, in the fullness of time, he entered his final rest, drawing the world to pay tribute as he lay in state in Rome.

For some years it had been painful yet inspiring to watch his appearances in that window high in the Vatican, struggling latterly to speak but never ceasing to bless and pray for the faithful and for all the world’s people.

And so many outside the Catholic faith honour him now and share in the sense of loss of a leader whose election heralded the fall of the Iron Curtain and the opening of a new respect for the Catholic church and its mission: spreading the faith and working for the poor, for peace and for international brotherhood.

For many John Paul II is already numbered among the saints to whose number he was to add Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the woman who set so loving an example in reaching out to the suffering poorest of the poor.

After the world’s presidents and princes departure from Rome comes the crucial task of the church’s leaders to elect John Paul’s successor.

Many will hope that he may be someone who, like John Paul, can be an international pastor who inspires the hearts of ordinary folk of all faiths. South America, Africa or the Far East might well find one of their own in the Chair of St Peter.

Whoever it is, may he have the strength, the health and years needed to continue the extraordinary and loving mission of the man they buried in Rome this week.

For non-Catholics and people of other faiths around the world, the ceremonies shared on television will have proved both strange and moving.

As the captains, the kings and the presidents depart, his life of faith, love, pain and Christian devotion remains an example to civilised folk everywhere.

Those qualities are rarely found in a single person.

Central’s gentrification

The story on page three of this paper gives hope and encouragement to all those Port Elizabeth residents who believe that historical Central is one of the city’s most beautiful suburbs.

The fact that professionals, yuppies and middle-class folk are renovating flats and homes in the area can only mean the gentrification of Central.

We read in Friday’s Herald that the metro municipality has served notice on Irish property magnate Ken Denton to clean up nine of his properties – all derelict and vandalised.

This too bodes well for Central. It is critical for every resident to take personal responsibility for the reclamation of the suburb - with its exquisite views and architecturally beautiful houses.

The metro can help too, with extra policing, with ensuring that noise is kept at an acceptable level for a residential area, that cars are safe in streets and children able to play in the parks.

Those who already live there extol its virtues. The pictures on page three show why.

Opinion