Editorial: 'Not My Pope'

"He wasn't my pope."

Pope John Paul II's death on Saturday signifies the end of an era. Certain students suggested - through both word and action - that this was not really a signiÞ cant event on a Mennonite campus. Perhaps it only makes sense that if he "wasn't our pope," it doesn't affect EMU students too much when there is a papal death. The reality is that most students didn't know until some days later.

However, John Paul's passing is not only significant to Catholics or even just to Christians. He symbolized and was much more than a religious figure. He was a unifier in many respects. For example, John Paul pushed an understanding of the sanctity of life. These views included positions against abortion and euthanasia, but ran deeper than these politicized discussions.

The real beauty in this time of mourning is found in the fact that people of all walks take a moment to think about what is important. The significance of a religious figure - even in death - bringing people together in a way no political person or event could.

Even in his frail state, John Paul led a sixth of the globe's population. The argument can be made that his weakness hurt the image of the Catholic church. Alternately, his strength and the faith of believers the world over exemplified the Christian message.

Watching the pope over the past year begs the question of what role such a figurehead plays. Various commentators - and there have been many - have pointed out that John Paul emphasized reaching out to people of different faiths, particularly Muslims. An example was his trip to Azerbaijan last year. Economists for a particular news agency calculated that it would have cost less to bring all 120 of the country's Roman Catholics to the Vatican than to take the pope and his entourage for a visit.

The sheer number of pilgrims who make their way to Rome and Vatican City each year illustrates that the pope's goal is not to keep everyone at home and happy. Rather, John Paul's trip was about meeting people, both Christians and members of other faith traditions, where they were. The result is the tentative attendance by the Syrian premier at this week's funeral services. What other "world power" could attract such respect from a man and a country most of the West is alienating?

The beauty of this pope is that he transcended the power trappings of his religious authority to reach out to others as fellow human beings, a role resisted by most religious and political institutions. Pope John Paul II was not constrained by these conventions. He may not have been "ours," but this is what makes it all the more important to recognize his contributions.