|
|
The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search |
|
a healthy church...transformingLIFE |
|
|
|
|
Special statement Monday 4 April 2005 Bishop Harrower expresses Anglican sympathy on Pope John Paul II's deathThe Anglican Church of Tasmania extends its deep sympathy to our brothers and sisters of the Roman Catholic Church upon the death of Pope John Paul II. We stand with them in their sorrow at his loss to them and to us, and also celebrate with them in thanks to God for a Christian life so fearlessly lived. Pope John Paul II was a most devout Christian who gave strong leadership to the Roman Catholic Church, and indeed the world-wide Christian community. The Pope was a man of prayer, of deep faith in the God who acts in love in human history. The source of life and purpose he found in God led him to vigorously participate in movements for peace and reconciliation around the world. I will never forget his visit to Buenos Aires during the Falkland Island War between Argentina and Great Britain. His historic visit of reconciliation and goodwill to Britain had been long planned but then poignantly coincided with the war in the South Atlantic. Pope John Paul II decided to go ahead with his visit to Britain and to also immediately visit Argentina. The 2 million Argentines who attended a Mass with him in Buenos Aires in the middle of the war were profoundly moved. The Argentine military dictators tried to turn his visit into a 'God is on our side' propaganda triumph but the Pope would have nothing of it. As he had done all his life, he propounded peace as the only way forward. Surrounded by Argentine generals at war, he stood for peace. His devotion to the Prince of Peace nurtured his courage to declare the way of peace. We will miss his clarity, his courage and his Christian convictions. To God be the glory. Amen. . . . Bishop John Harrower
|
|
||
