St. Mary’s Mass tonight offered for Pope John Paul
Published 8:39 pm Tuesday, April 5, 2005
By By RANDI K. PICKLEY / Niles Daily Star
NILES - This evening at 7 p.m., the Niles Catholic community will commemorate the life and death of Pope John Paul II with a Memorial Mass held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Niles.
Father Carl Peltz, pastor at St. Mary's Church, and Father Joseph Koma, pastor of St. Mark's Church in Niles will join to preside at the Mass.
Father Peltz, who was out of town when word of the pontiff's death reached him, is interrupting his vacation to return and celebrate the Memorial Mass.
The University of Notre Dame will hold evening Vespers at 7:15 p.m. beginning tonight through Thursday. Black bunting will be hung around the Basilica doors and will remain in place until the election of the new pope. A portrait of John Paul II has been placed in the Basilica sanctuary along with a white skull cap worn by the late pope and a crucifix. Both were gifts from Pope John Paul II to Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., who is president emeritus at Notre Dame.
On Monday, Notre Dame held a memorial Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart to honor Pope John Paul II. A Book of Rememberance was placed in front of the pulpit for all who wished to sign their names as a symbol of their prayers for the deceased pope.
Pope John Paul II was declared dead at 9:37 p.m. (2:37 EST) on Saturday, April 2, 2005, after his electrocardiogram remained flat for more than 20 minutes. Born in 1920, Pope John Paul II was 84-years old at the time of his death.
According to the official death certificate issued by the Vatican, "John Paul II died of septic shock and irreversible heart failure."
The Holy Father also suffered from Parkinson's disease.
The first stage of the funeral rites began in Clementine Hall attended by Pope John Paul II's closest aides, including three nuns who assisted in the Holy Father's apartments, and a small group of journalists.
Phil Puella, a Reuters correspondent in Rome, stated that the pope had a white rosary in his hands and the silver crozier that always accompanied him. The body of the pope was dressed in crimson vestments, a white miter, and a pallium fastened with a gold pin.
The day following the pope's death, which is Divine Mercy Sunday in the liturgical calendar of the church, a Mass for the repose of the soul of the Holy Father was held in St. Peter's Square at 10:30 a.m.
On Monday, the pope's body was transferred to St. Peter's Basilica for the Homage of the Faithful.
In a 1996 document written by John Paul II, titled the "Universi Dominici Gregis", the absence of a pope is addressed as such: "During the vacancy of the Apostolic See, laws issued by the Roman pontiffs can in no way be corrected or modified, nor can anything be added or subtracted."
The pontiff was known for his work with youth, for helping to end Communism in Poland, and for challenging world leaders to deal with human rights.
President George W. Bush and the First Lady attended a Mass for the pope held at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington within hours of the pontiff's death.
The president said, "Throughout the West, John Paul's witness reminded us of our obligation to build a culture of life in which the strong protect the weak."
As quoted on Catholic Online, Archbishop Randall Sly, of the International Charismatic Episcopal Church in Virginia, said Pope John Paul II exemplified an image expressed by Father Terry Fullam of Connecticuit.
In a sermon Fullam said, "If you live like an eagle, you will die like an eagle."
The Vatican has announced that the pope's funeral will be on Friday at 10 a.m. (4 a.m. ET) and he will be buried in the crypt below the Basilica.