Catholics mourn loss of Pope John Paul II

April 3, 2005

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

MAT-SU - A black cloth hung over the entranceway to Sacred Heart Parish on Saturday night, as more than 100 Catholics silently filed into the church to mourn the loss of their leader, Pope John Paul II, who died earlier in the day in his Vatican residence at age 84.

Throughout the day and into the evening, millions of Catholics attended masses, praying for and remembering the Pope, who passed away at 10:37 a.m. Alaska Standard Time. News of his death spread quickly, flooding radio, television and Internet outlets as the 1 billion-plus Catholics worldwide mourned their leader of 26 years.

Sitting in the living room of his Wasilla home, on the grounds of Sacred Heart Parish, Father Kaspar Mallavarapu, reflected on the pope's life. In the corner of the room, images of John Paul II flashed across a silent television screen.

The Pope's death just happened to coincide with the 22nd anniversary of Mallavarapu's priesthood, a fact that he quickly pointed out.

"I have great respect for him," Mallavarapu said. "The dedication and commitment he had, even when he was sick and couldn't move - he was a great inspiration for a priest."

Kaspar said the pontiff will be missed around the world more so than his predecessors because he lived during the information age and traveled more than probably all other popes combined. Kaspar said the pope was accessible to people, and they grew to love him.

"He started reaching out, especially to young people," Mallavarapu said. "The world is connected now, and they will miss him a lot."

John Paul II was the 264th pope, and his reign was the third longest in church history. Through out his papacy, John Paul II was known for reaching out to other faiths and Christian denominations. He prayed for unity with Orthodox Christians and sought to reconcile the church's relationship with Muslims with multiple visits to the Middle East.

He was also a larger-than-life political figure. His vocal support for the Solidarity labor movement in Poland was instrumental in helping to bring down the Iron Curtain, and he is widely considered to be one of the most influential people of the second half of the 20th century.

In recent years, however, the pontiff's health slowly deteriorated through Parkinson's Disease and crippling arthritis. In February, during the church's observance of Lent, he took a turn for the worse, after a tracheotomy that was intended to ease serious breathing problems.

The pope never fully recovered from the procedure, and on Thursday he developed a high fever, which lead to heart failure, kidney problems and finally death.

In his final weeks, even as some critics called for his resignation, Vatican officials and church leaders pointed to the pope's suffering as a living example of how people can die while maintaining grace and commitment to God.

"He listened more to God than to man," Mallavarapu said. "He has shown the way for priests and bishops. This man stood like a rock."

In Palmer, several longtime Catholics sat in the downstairs basement of St. Michael's Catholic Church, Saturday night. They had just finished a funeral service for one of their close friends. Sitting in folding chairs and sipping coffee, they took time to remember the John Paul II.

"He was very much a people person," said longtime Palmer resident Eve Hermon. "He'll be a hard act to follow."

Jean Bradley and Sharon Kern sat with Hermon. The three of them remembered watching the pope during his 1981 visit to Anchorage, when he conducted a mass at Delaney Park Strip.

"Thousands of people came out," Bradley said. "But I never felt like it was crowded. I was so focused on him that nothing else mattered."

Kern remembered the choir that sang the day. Composed of people from all over the state, they so impressed the pope that he invited them to sing at the Vatican.

"He enjoyed it so much," Kern said.

"People in Alaska feel close to him," Mallavarapu said. "Alaska is considered the end of the world. Jesus said go into all the world and preach the gospel, and the pope came here."

Special services will be held at several local Catholic churches throughout the coming week, as the worldwide Catholic church observes an official nine-day mourning period.

After the nine days, 117 Cardinals will gather to elect a new leader. They will talk about the needs of the church, hold masses, pray and then vote.

"This transition time is a time to pray for the right person to get elected with guidance from the Holy Spirit," Mallavarapu said. "All over the world in catholic churches, bishops, priests all over they will be praying that the right person gets elected. The whole world will be praying."

Mallavarapu said it is important that the right man be chosen, one that can lead the current world.

"God is in control, he will chose the right person," Mallavarapu said. "Now is a grieving time - our loss is great."