What was it about this Pope? His face? His character? His charisma? His Spirituality? ...His holiness?
Whatever it was, old and young alike, Catholics and non-Catholics - even non-Christian people - actually loved him!
It's hard to imagine the world without having ever had this Pope. All of us over the age of 10 are bound to remember him well and whether we followed his pilgrimages and speeches or not, we've been effected - in whichever way.
Some of us love him like he was our friend or father, some of us love him like though he was our grandfather, some of us keep him as a saint or inspirational role model but few if any are completely passive.
Some would criticize him of course because that is how the world goes and some people just like to be "special" and/or "unique" perhaps but those who are honest would have to admit that he was one great man - outspoken against drug dealers and crime, welcoming to the poor, a friend of prisoners, a visitor of the sick and host of the homeless, a preacher of Truth, apostle of God's Mercy and above all a joyful servant of God - despite his sufferring.
He was also the man who forgave the person who shot him and who through his deeds and words brought hope to the sufferring and encouraged those facing ilness or hard times.
He came to Malta twice, knelt down and prayed in the Grotto of St.Paul here and declared our FIRST maltese saint.
He also spoke to us about being a light to the rest of Europe and holding fast to our faith and the values our fathers have kept, treasured and cherished for centuries - values we are sadly letting go of.
He was old and young at the same time - young with the young, staying up late and laughing with them ...recorded a cd too with music and prayer!
He proclaimed God's mercy for all (click here to read his beautiful encyclical about the Divine Mercy of God), and established the feast of the Divine Mercy making it a solemn and international feast to be celebrated in all Catholic Churches. He proclaimed the Polish nun who spread this devotion the first saint of the new millenium to remind us all of God's mercy for us and died on the feast of the Divine Mercy.
If there is a Pope who can be called great it must be him - and now, on this day when we celebrate the Divine Mercy of God, the Church has presented him to us formally declaring him Blessed :-)
