1912-1978
Today doesn't appear to have much significance in the life of John Paul I, but he is very much in my thoughts. He would have been a pope very much like Pope Francis had he lived. I loved him.
He reigned from August 26 to September 28, 1978, he was dead in bed on 29 September, he died of heart failure.
I remember him too. I remember his smile as very consoling and encouraging.
ReplyDeleteI still see him smiling too from heaven as he intercedes for us all.
JP2 was such a force I often forget there was a JP1. He is probably OK with that.
ReplyDeleteA pope like Francis! HA! Pope John Paul I was a stauch traditionalist. He wanted to overturn the Liturgical reforms. He would have been, in my opinion, a pope that would have been almost the opposite of Francis.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a citation for that? I never read that nor have I heard that he wanted to undo the reforms. I know he wished to implement Vatican II and that he wanted to rid the Ordinary Form of innovations and novelties which were emerging, but I never heard he wanted to reverse the liturgical reforms. He is the one who dispensed with the coronation and chose the installation instead. Likewise he wanted curial reform and a papacy closer to the people. He was extremely generous with the Church's goods, as Patriarch he sold things to aid the poor and urged his priests to do likewise. He indeed was a staunch traditionalist although he believed external things could change, but doctrine never. He stressed continuity - yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is his humility and openess which reminds me of Francis. It is silly to compare the two since each is unique - so that is my mistake here. It is just as silly to specualate on what type of Pope he would have been, since it was obviously God's will that his reign was short. His papacy gave great joy to the Church.
DeleteI found this on New Liturgical Movement dated 2009:
Delete[A letter from Cardinal Albino Luciani of 20th February 1978 prohibited “the celebration, under any title, of Mass more antiquo in the church of S. Simeon Piccolo, as in all the territory of the diocese” and.. allowed Don Siro “the faculty to celebrate Holy Mass more antiquo only in his own home.” ... The same Cardinal Luciana... in the “Rivista diocesana del Patriarcato di Venezia” (April-May 1987, p.167) in a note from the Diocesan Curia recalls: “Recently the Patriarch forbade the celebration of the so-called Mass of St. Pius V at S. Simeon Piccolo, which had become, a meeting place ‘reclaimed’ by the Una Voce movement.]
Terry,
DeleteThank you for the update/clarification. I don't recall/never read anything either about JPI being "a staunch traditionalist" either.
Not that it matters to me anyway since as you say (and I agree) it was the Lord's will that JPI's reign be short but his is life eternal in heaven with that wonderful smile of his.
I can't remember the citation at the moment...I'll keep searching. Given his swift murder after being elected, it's clear he had many enemies. Those enemies were liberals who wanted to make the Church protestant. Also, regarding his installation, he didn't "choose" it. It was foisted on him by Paul the VI who changed the ritual. This is also the same reason why Pope Benedict was installed with that hideous giant pallium. It wasn't his choice. It was something that had been written into the rite near the end of John Paul II's pontificate. These rituals are inherited, not created by the current Pope.
DeleteAlso, I pray that soon he will be raised to the glory of the Altars.
ReplyDeleteAloysius, Angela, Yaya, and dear Terry - You all have made excellent points, but with respect, I think the only label our good Pope John Paul I would care to give himself is "faithful child of God and of the Church". That goes for me, too! To me, he was a serene, calming bridge between the holy Popes Paul VI and St. John Paul II. I think perhaps St. John Paul II saw this and also recognized his quiet joy in serving God. Maybe that is one of the reasons he chose Pope John Paul's name for himself. It reminds me of the Bible passage about listening for God. He is not heard in the crash of thunder - He is heard in the quiet whisper blown into our ears. I do not express myself as well as all of you, but that was Pope JPI to me. God's blessing, peace, and protection to all here - Susan, ofs
ReplyDeleteThat's lovely - I agree with you. He was/is such a gift to the Church.
DeleteI was 14 when JP1 died so my only real memory of his papacy (I was not a practicing Catholic at the time) was being annoyed all my favorite shows were going to be interrupted yet again that year with papal funeral and then papal election coverage.
DeleteHe came and went so quickly. I still wonder what the Holy Spirit was telling us? Someday all these mysteries will be clarified for us. I anticipate a few surprises!
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