"I Have Come to You Again"

The Catholic Renewal Center in Lubbock is hosting a showing of the exhibit about Pope John Paul II, "I Have Come to You Again" http://www.kcbd.com/story/20216772/lubbock-first-city-in-us-to-host-exhibit-for-pope-john-paul-ii. Reverend Malcolm Neyland http://www.startickets.com/event.php?event=3459 with National Exhibits was instrumental in having the exhibit start it's tour in Lubbock.

It is an interesting exhibit of the memorabilia of Pope John Paul II.  I found the video to be the best and most interesting part of the exhibit.  Many of the displays are static, and to be honest, could pertain to any pope.  The story of Karol Wojtyla http://www.biography.com/people/john-paul-ii-9355652  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul_II as a person, deserved so much more, and I am not sure the biographies I cited do him much better justice than did the exhibit.  

The saddest part of his papacy was the assassination attempt.  It left a strong, athletic, vigorous man in a weakened condition. He forgave his would be assassin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Ali_A%C4%9Fca.  Pope John Paul II thought the assassination attempt was the third revelation of Fatima, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_F%C3%A1tima. 

The best part of his papacy, in my mind, was his reaching out to so many other religions of the world.  Read his story: he went to mosques, synagogues, Lutheran and Methodist places of worship, and reached out to the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church.

Upon his death, the Catholic public wanted him sainted.  The usual 5 year waiting period was waived and Pope Benedict XVI initiated the process http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatification_of_Pope_John_Paul_II. 

I was married to Lisenby at the time of the assassination attempt. Lisenby is not Catholic, and I had stopped practicing by then. But Ken was very emotionally moved by the assassination attempt. I think it is a measure of the man, Pope John Paul II that he could even influence a non-Catholic to be moved and made heart-sick by the assassination attempt.

I consider myself fortunate to be able to have seen the exhibit.