Remembering Pope John Paul II

written by John C. Buckley III

April 5th, 2005

I looked for a man among them would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land, so that I would not have to destroy it

Then I heard the voice of The Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!”

AIt was late spring, 1998 and I was in a small chapel in the Vatican with over 200 lawyers and their family members. Our number included Catholics, Jews, Protestants, those of other faiths, and those of no faith. We awaited the arrival of Pope John Paul II. As a young Air Force fighter pilot in the late 70’s and early 80’s, I watched this Pope and President Ronald Reagan miraculously join two great forces in opposition to the Communist forces of the Soviet Union. The Pope and his moral authority, coupled with the no-nonsense assertions of President Reagan and backed by the God-given power of the United States, served as the anchors that I believe, ultimately, led to the destruction of the “Evil Empire”. Now, years after my military service, my 13-year-old son Taylor and I waited in this small chapel for the arrival of the man from Krakow.

I was told that day that an audience of this small size with the Pope was unusual. It was arranged by the Pope’s personal lawyer, a brilliant law professor named Mary Ann Glennon. I remember Professor Glennon laughingly describing her efforts to keep up with her client and slow the Pope down. She noted that when she encouraged him to slow down, Pope John Paul II told her: “I will have plenty of time to rest in heaven.”

As we waited that day in 1998, I noticed that Taylor had separated from me and moved to the front of the chapel with a group of other children. Suddenly, the door at the front of the chapel opened, and Pope John Paul II walked into the room. He immediately stepped to the children, and before saying any words to the adults, he began touching and blessing each child. I saw him caress my son’s cheek as he blessed him. I noticed the slight shake of his hand, the only indication of the Pope’s Parkinson’s disease which the Vatican had recently announced to the world. I am Christian, but I am not Catholic. That day, I was instantly grateful to this man who had stood against Nazis and Communists alike to arrive at this moment in time, blessing my teenaged son.

After blessing each child attending, the Pope began to address the gathering in accented English. He amazed me. There were lawyers at the height of their profession in the chapel that day from Europe and America. Some were professors, including the Dean of Harvard Law. Some were constitutional scholars and practitioners. The Pope launched into one of the most sophisticated and erudite speeches I have ever heard on the Rule of Law, and the need to temper that Rule with Justice. His knowledge of the topic was superb. I remember wondering how many people could launch into this talk in a tongue not their own, about a profession not his or her own, and enthrall so many professionals in the field not his own. Then I remembered – this man knew the true Source of Justice. He had the confidence of a man with full certainty in the truthfulness of his assertions to this group.

The audience ended after the Pope talked for 15-20 minutes. Our group traveled on to other parts of the Vatican that day. When we returned to our hotel early in the evening, there was a large manila envelope stamped with the Vatican seal waiting for me. Inside the envelope was a picture taken that day by the official Vatican photographer. It was a picture of the Pope blessing my son. For me, a Christian from a faith tradition that recognizes no Pope, I learned what a remarkable man was this son of Krakow. Like my brother and sister Christians in the Catholic tradition, today I mourn the loss of this mighty man of God. Karol Wojtyla was a man who heard the call from our God to stand in the gap on behalf of the land. Like Isaiah, he responded: “Send me!” Our world is better because Pope John Paul II chose to obey the call of our God at a crucial time in history.

John C. Buckley III, Esq.

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