Pope John Paul II beatified - what it means to me?
Today 1st May 2011 Pope John Paul II was beatified. He will hereafter be called "Blessed John Paul II". He is few steps closer to be declared a saint. As a Pope who was head of the Catholic Church for 27 years he left a long legacy not only to the Church but also the world. He was a saintly man but was also a courageous man who is being credited with bringing down communism. He was leader who reinvigorated Catholic church. Wherever he went political leaders came to him, people flocked to him and world loved him. I remember seeing him at close quarters at Chennai near Santhome Church when he passed by in his Popesmobile . The brief encounter and his smiling face left a lasting impression on me. Throughout his 27 years Catholics were proud to call him Pope and their leader. A man who had seen Nazism, Communism he eventually saw their end and worked hard for world peace. His step towards sainthood has come by after year long research and witness to the miracles performed by h