Somebody masterminded a joke: “What is the difference between a Pope and the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is everywhere, and the Pope was already there.” Then, someone repeated to another person and so it began to be repeated not only at the Vatican. Reportedly, John Paul II also laughed at it. The Archbishop gives a short comment: the Holy Father had his own vision of the papacy. He always stressed that it is important to reach out to every human being. It is important for the Pope to be there, from where people may not always be able to come to the Pope. I know that he was with all of them in his daily prayers, but he also wanted to be present among them. He wanted from them to see and feel his support, and also what is equally important, for the world to see and feel that the Pope gives them his support. That was present in his pilgrimages to Africa, to Lebanon, Cuba, in the visit to Sarajevo. With his presence, he was saying: “Do not be afraid. I am with you. Jesus Christ is with you.” It was very important to these people. He was often recalling his first pilgrimage to Mexico. He was recalling his thoughts and words of that time, that if this pilgrimage will happen, then later the Communists in Poland will not able to forbid anything to him. He was a great strategist and diplomat. He knew very well what he is doing. It was a success.
With the consent of Archbishop Mokrzycki “He liked Tuesdays the most”
M Publisher, Kraków 2008
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