“The death of Pope John Paul II is a cause for mourning worldwide,” said Traditional Values Coalition Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon today. “Throughout his leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Paul’s theme has always been ‘Be not afraid.’ He lived this belief and serves as an inspiration to millions of Christians.”
Rev. Sheldon observed of Pope Paul, “He was unafraid to challenge the Nazi regime and later the Communists in Poland and stood strong with President Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher when they worked together to bring about the collapse of the Soviet Union. His faith in Jesus Christ was what motivated him to speak out fearlessly about tyranny and to always defend the right to life of the unborn and those who could not speak for themselves.
“Pope John Paul’s own physical illnesses had slowed him down during the past few years, but during those times, his strong faith in Jesus Christ gave him the strength to carry on with dignity.
“He was a man who played a significant role in liberating millions from the slavery of Communism and was deeply concerned about the third-world countries and the millions who went to bed hungry and had nothing but poverty in their way of life.
“Pope John Paul was a man of peace; always concerned when there was physical conflict and violence. So much so that he even visited and blessed the man that attempted to murder him at one time.
“He was also a man of righteousness, never wavering in his belief that the Holy Scriptures were to be obeyed in matters of morals and human sexuality. He spoke out clearly that homosexuality was not a gift from God, but could be healed through the Gospel.
“He will go down in history as one of the world’s greatest leaders. His character and vision for freedom will be sorely missed.
“I join with millions of Christians around the world in mourning his passing, yet we also rejoice in what his life and vision meant to all of us,” said Rev. Sheldon.
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