St. John Paul II, man of dialogue for peace
"I don't know if I can well explain myself in your ... our Italian language. If I am wrong you will correct me," said John Paul II, newly elected on the evening of October 16, 1978.
John Paul II's long pontificate (Oct. 16, 1978 - April 2, 2005) began on Oct. 22 with Mass in St. Peter's Square; that is why his liturgical feast falls on the 22nd. "Do not be afraid! Open, indeed, open wide the doors to Christ! - he said during his homily - To his saving power open the boundaries of states, economic systems as well as political ones, the vast fields of culture, of civilization, of development."
Opening doors to Christ, not being afraid, building peace and dialogue have been some of the main themes of his pontificate. These themes we often find in his 14 Encyclicals; in the speeches delivered on his 146 trips to Italy and in the 104 made around the world.
To the theme of peace he linked that of dialogue among Christians, religions and all men and women of good will. And it could not be otherwise from a bishop who had taken an active part in the Second Vatican Council since its preparation.
It is important to recall the Assisi meeting in October 1986, strongly desired by Pope John Paul II with all the leaders and leaders of the world's religions in the city of St. Francis. A meeting of prayer, fasting to build peace and dialogue, two themes always strongly linked in his pontificate. "Our traditions are many and varied, reflecting the desire of men and women throughout the ages to enter into relationship with the Absolute Being. ... Each religion will have the time and opportunity to express itself in its own traditional ritual. Then from the place of our respective prayers, we will go in silence to the lower square of St. Francis. ... After thus praying separately, we will meditate in silence on our responsibility to work for peace. We will then symbolically express our commitment to peace," he said that day in Assisi.
Pope John Paul II always considered dialogue between the three Abrahamic religions fundamental for peace building, not only in the Middle East and among the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, but as a paradigm for a new world order. The Middle East was in his heart, just remember his commitment to the liberation of the Palestinians who had taken refuge in the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, his phone calls with abuna Ibrahim Faltas during the 39 days of the siege, his decision that every day the Osservatore Romano would put the news with photos on the front page.
In these dramatic days, his many speeches in favor of dialogue between the State of Israel and the Palestinian National Authority for the construction of a lasting peace, the result of dialogue, of negotiations, to arrive at having two states for the two peoples, the Jewish and the Palestinian.
"Mr. Arafat, in thanking you for the cordial welcome you have extended to me on behalf of the Palestinian Authority and People, I express all my happiness to be here today. How can I not pray that the divine gift of peace will become more and more a reality for all who live in this land, uniquely marked by God's interventions? Peace for the Palestinian people! Peace for all the peoples of the region! No one can ignore how much the Palestinian people have had to suffer in recent decades. Your torment is before the eyes of the world. And it has gone on too long," he said as soon as he arrived in Bethlehem on March 22, 2000.
He repeated the same concept in Tel Aviv to President Weizman and Prime Minister Barak. "I pray that my visit will contribute to increasing the interreligious dialogue that will lead Jews, Christians and Muslims to identify in their respective beliefs and in the universal brotherhood that unites all members of the human family, the motivation and perseverance to work for the peace and justice that the peoples of the Holy Land do not yet possess and for which they yearn so deeply."
Renato Burigana