Check out this picture of the Pope:

[SaveAmerica]

http://www.iltempo.it/Nazionale.asp?img=99&id=


I was very touched by it, I wish I speak Italian so I can understand the article that goes with the picture. I believe it's written by a 9 year old and I wonder if the girl in the picture is the author.

Editing to ad article:

Sempre con lui


Giovanni Paolo II mi ha insegnato ad essere forte e ad avere la fede fino all’ultimo momento. Secondo me potranno mettere mille Papi vicini, ma nessuno sarà come lui... Giovanni Paolo II è sempre stato calmo. È sempre stato buono. Lui è come un agnellino. Ora ci ha lasciato. Ma mi ricordo quando lui ha lanciato le colombe e loro sono rientrate nella sua stanza perché secondo me volevano stare sempre con lui. Come tutti noi, che vorremmo stare sempre con lui... Mi ha insegnato che la morte poi non è una cosa così orrida. Se un uomo è stato buono, tanto la morte è un premio. Ad esempio mio papà è morto. Però ora che ho imparato a non essere così spaventata dalla morte, non mi fa più impressione... Giovanni Paolo II l’ho visto una volta in piazza San Pietro. È passato e io l’ho visto. Era proprio un mio amico... Gli voglio tanto bene e sono fiera della vita che ha fatto. E beato lui. Forse in cielo staranno facendo tutti un’enorme festa per accoglierlo. Maria Vittoria, 9 anni, di Viterbo

Lunedì 4 Aprile 2005

[CBHagman]

1. I want to remember him as he was in life.

Thanks for posting that sweet image. John Paul II certainly had a heart for children.

[etherealtruth]

2. Thanks...

I came here to escape another night of anti religious rants in the GD, that image was very nice.

[Hans Delbrook]

3. Excuse this horrible translation - my Italian is poor

My Italian is cobbled together from my grandparents dialect and what I taught myself. This should be the general gist but I've taken a lot of libertiess....


JP II taught me to be strong and to have faith in the final moments. In my opinion I am able (or it's possible) that many Popes came close but none were like him. JP II was always calm (or more like serene.) He was always good. He was like a lamb. Now I have to leave (?? It must be he has to leave but that's not what I read here.) I remember when he threw the doves and they returned to the room because they wanted to be w/ him. All of us want to be faithful like him. I want to teach that the death ahead is not horrible. (Or he wanted to teach that.) If a man is always good then all the more is death a reward. I saw JP II in St. Peter's Square. And I have seen him walk (or I saw him walk.) It was like he was my friend. I want to be good and fair during the life I have. And to be saintly or blessed like him. Maybe in heaven they are having an enormous welcome.