The suffering Pope.
Remembering the Servant of God, Paul VI: on the 30th anniversary of his death.
Our Holy Father Paul VI has been much maligned and criticized in his lifetime and continues to be after death - especially by many traditionalists who seek a scapegoat for all the problems the Church has suffered since the Council. Not unlike John Paul II, who has also been highly criticized, Paul VI was not immune to assassination attempts. The most notable occurred in the Philippines when a man armed with a knife nearly attacked him. Indeed, he was the target of a vicious character assassination attempt as well. At one point in his pontificate, an ex-seminarian or priest? - if I remember correctly - probably a homosexual activist, accused him of homosexuality. I distinctly recall a news clip of the Pope decrying the slander on television wherein his voice broke with emotion, denouncing the slanderous accusation. “The Holy Father will have much to suffer.” (Our Lady’s prophecy at Fatima.) Pope Paul VI surely did suffer. Physically, morally, and spiritually. He had nearly crippling arthritis, making it difficult for him to walk in his later years. He resorted to the use of the sedan chair carried by attendants when celebrating liturgical functions at St. Peter’s and elsewhere in Rome. (JPII used automated transport.) - From a previous post.
Documentation on one of the many moral sufferings endured by the Holy Father…
13).POPE PAUL VI (1897 - 1978)
When Italian magazine Tempo published an article in 1967 asserting that he was a homosexual, Pope Paul VI took the unusual step of issuing a denial in a public speech from his balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square. He called the magazine’s assertions “ a horrible and slanderous insinuation”,and implored Catholics to “pray for our humble person, who has been made a target of scorn… by a certain press lacking dutiful regard for honesty and truth.” Soon afterward, Italian police began mass confiscation of the magazine, on grounds that it had libeled the Catholic church. - Source
In fact, a day of reparation was called for throughout Italy.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:01 am
Good post, Terry. I think the thing that convinced me the most that Paul VI had made the right call on the contraception issue was the vilification that he suffered as a result of his stand. It would have been so much easier to go along with his advisors; everybody would have loved him and there would have been dancing in the streets (well maybe not).
We don’t often think about the shear loneliness that the pope (whoever he is) endures, even though surrounded by people.
August 6th, 2008 at 7:06 am
Here is a video of the last years of the Pope Paul VI of blessed memory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIztLx4ZG8A&feature=related
There is much that has gone ignored about this period of time and the poor Pope is unjustly blamed for the current revolt among the Bishops against order and authority.
August 6th, 2008 at 8:31 am
This post draws another interesting connection for me between the mass readings for today, feast of the Transfiguration, and a prayer from today’s mass on suffering. As it happens I wrote a short reflection about that on my blog.
Pope John VI must now be beyond suffering but as you note his name is not.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Dear Mr.Terry, I have a viewmaster reel of “The Holy Year” of 1950 ,it shows Pope Paul being carried just as you have described into St.Peters. It is one of my favorite reels , it’s like a piece of time “frozen”, and it’s in 3D too!! OOOOOh!!!
I received this reel in 2007 from e-bay ,and while viewing it I experienced all of the thoughts that you have described above, such as why would he be carried in like a king, and why did he let Vatican 2 come about.
I carried a grudge against him ,because of Vatican 2. One that I NEVER knew that I had until I viewed the reel,and heard myself grumbling.
I am a convert that had not experienced what it was like before Vatican 2, so I have some nerve.
Isn’t it funny how I get these reels in the mail from e-bay ,and in the span of about 2 hours I view these reels, and ponder all of the things that you have written about, and the year is 2007 ,and yet I am just discovering all of this out some 60 years later as “new information” to me?
I am an oddball.
I am cutting edge, or maybe I’m just on the edge.
Thanks for letting me play in your yard Mr. Terry, I think that you AND your Catholic friends are wonderful. Catholics are the best people on the planet. I love them. God bless you all.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Very good post Terry. It’s good to read the other side of Pope Paul VI.And it’s good to see that Italy called for a day of reparation. Somehow I doubt that would happen today.
August 7th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Poor, poor man.