Silent prayer equals loud testimony

Pope John Paul II endured several emotional shocks last week when murderous and suicidal violence hit close to home. How he has reacted has been an impressive display of Church teaching on forgiveness and mercy.

Within Vatican City itself, one Swiss Guard murdered his superior officer and the officer's wife. The killer then shot himself to death with the same gun.

Within the family of the Church, Bishop John Joseph of Pakistan committed suicide in protest of harsh anti-blasphemy laws in that predominantly Muslim nation, laws that the bishop thought repressed Christians. To him, the blasphemy laws were "the greatest block in the good and harmonious relations between Muslims and the religious minorities in Pakistan."

In page 8 this week, we delve further into those two events, but a striking photograph there may be the most informative. It shows the Pope praying before three coffins; they contain the bodies of the victims of the Vatican violence.

The fact that there are three coffins in the photo speaks loudly about the Pope's universal feeling of sorrow and loss. It wasn't just the murder victims he prayed for; it was also the man who murdered them and who then committed suicide.

The Pope also sent Pakistani Catholics his condolences on the death of Bishop Joseph and hoped that "the struggle for justice and people's rights will bear fruit." In Rome, bishops and priests attending the Synod of Bishops for Asia took part in a memorial Mass for the bishop.

Condolences, wishes for success and memorial Masses are additional witnesses that something major has changed in the Church. It wasn't that long ago that Catholics confronted with a suicide in their families reacted with shame, embarrassment and fear that the deceased would be damned. Through his actions and words, the Pope has shined a bright light through those dark emotions. By kneeling silently in a room with three coffins instead of two, he gave loud testimony to the Church's new understanding of what psychological forces drive people to take their own lives.

As it has spoken out against abortion, euthanasia and capital punishment, the Church has been building an impressive pro-life edifice from bricks labeled "the unborn," "the terminally ill" and "people sentenced to death." Now a new stone has been added to mark hope for those who commit suicide and love for the people they leave behind.

(05-28-98)

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