EUROPE/SPAIN - “His words touched hearts, his journeys brought the breath of hope wherever he went, his writings expressed his profound and faithful love for Christ and his Church": John Paul II, a tribute by National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Spain

Madrid (Fides Service) - “John Paul II was an extraordinary gift to the Church and to humanity " Archbishop Francisco Perez Gonzalez, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Spain said in a tribute to the late Pope entitled “John Paul II, missionary of the 20th century”. “His words touched hearts and won the hearts of humanity. His journeys brought the breath of hope to the countries he visited, his Liturgical Celebrations were a hymn of praise to God and his writings expressed his profound and faithful love of Christ and his Church”.
“To see him was to see Christ working in him” said the Archbishop recalling that young people were the Holy Father’s greatest love and for them he was a father and a friend. John Paul II was a perfect example of “a contemplative man of God in action” and an example of how to see the human person, not for what he has, but for what he is, and how to be willing to do only the will of God and how to be strong in faith, firm in hope and generous in charity. “We can say - the Archbishop concluded - he was the great missionary of the 20th century projected into the 21st century”. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 12/4/2005; righe 14, parole 219)