Elia Powers
Joining millions of mourners around the world, Newport-Mesa
residents, church congregants and clergy shared in moments of silence
for Pope John Paul II, who died Saturday at 11:37 a.m. Pacific
Standard Time.
Widely regarded as the most influential pope of the 20th Century,
he led the Roman Catholic church for 26 years and was known for his
frequent international visits and steadfast moral beliefs.
The pope died in his apartment overlooking St. Peter's Square
after a prolonged illness, the Vatican reported. He was 84.
A mass was scheduled for St. Peter's Square early today.
"It's a sad day for the church," said the Rev. Monsignor Lawrence
J. Baird, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and
administrator of two Newport Beach congregations -- St. John Vianney
Chapel and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.
"He was a profound thinker, a renowned theologian and an
exceptional leader," Baird said. "He captivated the world."
At St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish in Costa Mesa, some
congregants sat silently in pews, staring at the ground or looking at
a cluster of candles assembled near a side door.
Orange resident Richard Kulda was driving through the neighborhood
when he decided to take a moment for prayer.
"I've been a great admirer of the pope for years," said Kulda, 83.
"He was one of the greatest popes in history -- a real hard act to
follow."
The Rev. Martin Benzoni had just finished a baptism ceremony at
St. John when he heard the news.
He spent six years studying for the priesthood in Italy and was at
St. Peter's Square when the pope was elected in 1978. Benzoni
estimates that he met John Paul II about 20 times over the years.
One of those meetings came 24 years ago last Tuesday.
"He was so focused on you when he was talking," Benzoni remembers.
"You were the only person who existed when he greeted you."
Benzoni said he will remember the pope for his role in the
collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of Communism in Eastern
Europe.
He said John Paul II was especially successful in reaching out to
young people.
Italian native Lorenzo Gaglio said the pope was noted for his
inclusiveness, especially when it came to Roman Catholic-Jewish
relations. John Paul II was a witness to the Holocaust and worked
toward the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel.
Gaglio, a longtime Our Lady Queen of Angels member and Newport
Beach resident, joined his wife, Georgette, at their church Saturday
shortly before the pope's death.
