Mr. Speaker, as we mourn the passing of one of our great moral leaders, we must also celebrate the life of Pope John Paul II.
His Holiness was a remarkable leader whose passion for the advancement of truth, liberty and human dignity made him one of the giants of history.
He was an advocate of the oppressed and the poor, a champion of freedom in a time of totalitarianism, an unwavering defender of the Catholic faith, yet he was accessible to all, Catholics and non-Catholics, believers and non-believers, willing to embrace the interfaith relations to an extent once considered unimaginable.
He was, above all, a beacon of courage.
Aristotle said, “Courage is the first of the virtues because it makes all others possible`.
Pope John Paul II defined his life through courage, the courage to forgive and ask forgiveness, the courage to profess his faith in an age of tyranny and, in the end, the courage to bravely suffer.
As we mourn today, we must also celebrate his life and his message of “be not afraid”.
This great spirit of hope will echo throughout the ages.