Catholics and many other persons in Anguilla have joined milling throngs around the world in following the events surrounding the death of Pope John Paul II, plans for his funeral on Friday (April 8) and arrangements for his succession in due course.

A section of the congregation at St. Gerards

The Pope, who died on Saturday April 2, at the age of 84 years, was honoured at St. Gerard’s Roman Catholic Church on Monday, April 4 with a special evening Mass. It was conducted by Father Ed Herberger and attended by a number of resident Catholics as well as visitors. Among them were Governor and Mrs. Alan Huckle who are members of the Church of England, represented in Anguilla by the Anglican Church.

Fr. Ed Herberger

Father Ed recalled meeting and receiving gifts from the Pope in 1984, when he attended a course of studies in Rome. “Though we are Catholics and considered him our leader and shepherd, he was much more,” the Minister told the congregation in his sermon. “He was the world’s moral leader and I don’t think many people would dispute that. He spoke to everyone of goodwill and of transcending values. He kept a wider picture before the world, its leaders and ordinary people alike.”

He went on: “John Paul gave his full life service to God and His people. He did so right up to the end which... was very admirable. He worked, he wrote; he spoke; he traveled in service of the world… and in proclaiming the Kingdom of God... If we are to honour the memory of John Paul, we must be faithful to the responsibilities of our particular vocation big or small. When God calls us, He gives a gift for that vocation.”
He said the Pope manifested a deep respect for everyone whether a child, a gathering of young people, the elderly, dignitaries, ordinary people and persons of all religious faiths.

The late Pope John Paul II

“John Paul suffered an attempt on his life. He carried around a wound and limitation for the rest of his life as well as Parkinson disease,” he continued. “The way he dealt with it right up to his death should inspire us during our times of trouble. His anguish of soul over tragedies such as famines, wars, extreme poverty, of unfaithfulness by some of his priests, was also a suffering pain in his soul.”

The priest stated that throughout his suffering the Pope was faithful and a model for the rest of mankind. He added that he had faced death with his usual catch phrase “be not afraid.”

Governor and Mrs. Huckle (second row) with Catholics

During the mass, two parishioners at St. Gerard’s, Sisters Jillian Carty-Sheehy, who met the Pope in Rome two years ago, and Hermine McConnie, who met him earlier in Trinidad, spoke fondly about the late Pontiff.

The Pope, whose name is Karol Wojtyla, stunned the Catholic world when he was elected to the papacy in 1978 at the age of 58. Not one expert had tipped him, then Bishop of Krahow, for the post. Born in Poland, he was the first non-Italian Pope in more than 450 years.

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