INDEPTH: POPE JOHN PAUL II
The traditional Pope: His views on women and the family
CBC News Online | April 2005
When Pope John Paul II was elected Bishop of Rome in 1978, many believed the Roman Catholic Church was about to enter a new era. A relatively young and vibrant man of 58 – a Pole – succeeded two old and frail Italians.
Not only was he youngish, but John Paul also had the air of a modern man who played tennis, hiked and was an avid skier. He also knew enough to use television to reach his far-flung flock.
He quickly became known as a strong defender of human rights, workers rights and religious freedom.
"I speak on behalf of those who do not have a voice," he stated on a visit to Africa in 1980.
His call for the creation of a new world economic order and a guarantee of workers rights led some to call him "the socialist Pope."
But while he was seen as progressive on the social and political front, he was deeply conservative in areas in which the church has steadfastly refused to budge. He waged an unflagging battle against abortion, contraception, premarital sex, divorce, homosexuality, and the breakdown of traditional family values.
There would be no women priests under this papacy. Same-sex marriage, too, was out of the question.
Liberal theologians looked for signs that the church would reshape itself to appeal to a modern world. They signed petitions accusing him of wielding too much power. But he once told reporters: "Church doctrine cannot be based on popular opinion."
In Canada, that popular opinion – according to an Angus Reid poll conducted in 1993 – showed that 91 per cent of Canadian Catholics approved of the use of contraceptives, 82 per cent said premarital sex is acceptable, 55 per cent believed homosexuality is not a sin, and 36 per cent accepted abortion as a woman's choice.
Canadian Catholics – 84 per cent of them – also believed priests should be allowed to marry, and 78 per cent said women should be allowed to become priests, as they do in some other faiths.
John Paul revived a conservative Catholic self-awareness and stressed obedience to the church's hierarchy. He has called people who pick and choose among church doctrines that suit them "cafeteria Catholics."
In his 1981 Familiaris Consortio, he connected the themes of femininity, sexuality, motherhood and the family in ways that were seen throughout his reign:
"May the Virgin Mary, who is the Mother of the Church, also be the Mother in "the Church of the home." Thanks to her motherly aid, may each Christian family really become a "little Church" in which the mystery of the Church of Christ is mirrored and given new life. May she, the Handmaid of the Lord, be an example of the humble and generous acceptance of the will of God. May she, the Sorrowful Mother at the foot of the Cross, comfort the sufferings and dry the tears in distress because of the difficulties of the families."
On Jan. 24, 1997, the Vatican came out with its strongest argument against women becoming priests. Claiming that Jesus wanted only men to be priests, it said the church does not have the power to modify a 2,000-year-old practice. The statement came weeks after a Sri Lankan priest was excommunicated for challenging the Pope's authority. Among his sins was arguing that women should be allowed to become priests.
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Pope John Paul II led the world's Roman Catholics since he was the surprise choice of the College of Cardinals on Oct. 16, 1978.
Born in Poland on May 18, 1920, Karol Wojtyla (pronounced voy-TIH-wah) was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI, who died in 1523.
He was the 264th pope, and ranks among the three who have served longest, with St. Peter (32-67) and Blessed Pius IX (1846-78).
John Paul was the most travelled pope, having visited almost 130 countries and territories - including Canada, three times.
He was a conservative pope in terms of doctrine, rejecting the ordination of women, forbidding priests from marrying, backing an international campaign against same-sex unions and opposing birth control and abortion.
But he's also credited with helping end communist rule in Eastern Europe.
John Paul tried to reconcile Christians and Jews, and the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
He declared 476 new saints and beatified 1,320 people, many more than his predecessors.
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