Tribute to Pope John Paul II

TRIBUTE TO POPE JOHN PAUL II -- (House of Representatives - April 06, 2005)

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Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to pay my respects to one of the world's greatest spiritual leaders, Pope John Paul II.

The Pope was a wonderful humanitarian who was much more than just a leader of the Catholic Church and its 1 billion members around the globe. He was a servant of God, whose purpose in life was to work on behalf of all of humanity.

John Paul II was a courageous man, courageous all his life, who worked to make the world a better place by fighting for basic human rights, such as the right to freedom from oppression. Having grown up under nazism and communism, he understood firsthand the negative effects of totalitarian rule. He inspired a "revolution of conscience" in his home country of Poland, which Lech Walesa credits helped bring about the fall of communism.

The Pope was not afraid to take a tough stand and challenge dictators face to face. His criticism of rulers such as Alfred Stroessner in Paraguay, Augusto Pinochet in Chile, and Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines encouraged opposition movements that eventually led to the demise of their regimes.

The Pope was also a staunch advocate of the right to life. He constantly challenged people to foster a culture of life. Ten years ago John Paul II stated, "We are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the 'culture of death' and the 'culture of life.' " He challenged that, "We are all involved and we all share the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally prolife." I deeply admire the Pope for taking this stand.

In a society often characterized by worldliness, the Pope stood as a symbol of morality, integrity, and faith. John Paul II was not someone who acted in accordance with public opinion polls. He did what he knew was right, and he spoke with conviction. Even if people did not agree with him on every issue, they respected him and admired him.

No one in our lifetime has been a better role model for us all. He was, all his life, to the end of his life, a teacher and a servant. I join with the rest of the world in mourning his loss.

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