QUOTE: "Laws which legitimize the direct killing of innocent
human beings through abortion or euthanasia are in complete opposition to the
inviolable right to life proper to every individual; they thus deny the
equality of everyone before the law." [Letter to
Families]
AUTHOR: John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP. II, Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan Paweł II), sometimes called John
Paul the Great, born Karol Józef Wojtyła (Polish: [ˈkarɔl
ˈjuzɛf vɔjˈtɨwa]; 18 May 1920, Wadowice, Republic of Poland – 2
April 2005, Vatican City), reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 1978
until his death in 2005. He was the second-longest serving Pope in history and
the first non-Italian since 1523.
John Paul II was
acclaimed as one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century. He was
instrumental in ending communism in his native Poland and eventually all of
Europe. John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church's relations
with Judaism, Islam, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion.
Though criticised by progressives for upholding the Church's teachings against
artificial contraception and the ordination of women, and by traditionalists
for his support of the Church's Second Vatican Council and its reform, he was
also widely praised for his firm, orthodox Catholic stances.
He was one of the
most-travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his
pontificate. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness,
he beatified 1,340 people and canonised 483 saints, more than the
combined tally of his predecessors during the preceding five centuries. He named
most of the present College of Cardinals, consecrated or co-consecrated a large
number of the world's past and current bishops, and ordained many priests. A
key goal of his papacy was to transform and reposition the Catholic Church. His
wish was "to place his Church at the heart of a new religious alliance
that would bring together Jews, Muslims and Christians in a great [religious]
armada". On 19 December 2009, John Paul II was proclaimed venerable
by his successor Pope Benedict XVI and was beatified on
1 May 2011.
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