Senate Bill sb2736
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Florida Senate - 2005 (NP) SR 2736
By Senator Fasano
11-1956-05 See HR 9131
1 Senate Resolution No. ____
2 A resolution honoring the life and example of
3 Pope John Paul II.
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5 WHEREAS, born of a military father in Wadwice, Poland,
6 on May 18, 1920, and orphaned by age 20, Karol Josef Wojtyla
7 was ordained a Catholic priest at the age of 26 after having
8 served as a professor of moral theology, social ethics, and
9 philosophy, reflecting ideals evidenced in his life not only
10 by his elevation to the office of Bishop of Kracow and
11 Cardinal but also by his active resistance from a young age to
12 Nazi occupation, and
13 WHEREAS, Karol Josef Wojtyla, along with some friends,
14 was stopped by the Gestapo during the 1940's Nazi occupation
15 of Poland and he alone being in possession of a work visa was
16 released, while his friends were arrested, deported to
17 Auschwitz, and killed, an event that motivated him to join an
18 underground seminary and dedicate his life to God, and
19 WHEREAS, on October 16, 1978, Karol Josef Wojtyla,
20 having been elected as Supreme Pontiff by the Sacred College
21 of Cardinals, chose to be called by the name "John Paul II,"
22 and
23 WHEREAS, Pope John Paul's pilgrimage to his native
24 Poland in 1979 sparked a revolution against Soviet style
25 totalitarianism, empowered by conscience and morality,
26 beginning with the Solidarity Labor movement and resulting in
27 similar civil uprisings in Eastern Europe; this "soft power"
28 revolution, speaking truth to the corruption of
29 totalitarianism, combined with President Ronald Reagan's
30 efforts to secure peace through strength, forged a partnership
31 for human freedom culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall
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Florida Senate - 2005 (NP) SR 2736
11-1956-05 See HR 9131
1 in 1989 and the collapse of Soviet Communism in 1991; and
2 early in this revolution, in 1981, Pope John Paul survived an
3 assassination attempt perpetrated by fear of his persuasive
4 moral leadership, and
5 WHEREAS, Pope John Paul II, evangelist and pilgrim of
6 peace, the most traveled pope in history, declared evangelism
7 the essential mission of the church; globalized the Roman
8 Catholic Church and its message by visiting nearly 130
9 countries and territories during his papacy, traveling over
10 700,000 miles, the equivalent of 28 circumnavigations of the
11 globe, including seven trips to the United States, but with
12 particular emphasis on the developing nations in Africa, Latin
13 America, and Asia; addressed over 17 million people directly
14 in his general audiences, from the slum dwellers of Rio de
15 Janeiro to AIDS sufferers in Uganda and the United States; and
16 whether he was in Muslim Morocco, Buddhist Japan, or Catholic
17 Spain, he advanced the message that the Gospel is not out of
18 place in any country, and
19 WHEREAS, Pope John Paul II, for Roman Catholics the
20 successor to St. Peter, Christian theologian, poet, and Second
21 Vatican Council participant, authored 5 books, 14 papal
22 encyclicals, 15 apostolic exhortations, 11 apostolic
23 constitutions, and 45 apostolic letters instructing mankind on
24 issues ranging from capitalism to ecumenism, abortion to
25 euthanasia, private property rights to morality, and, most
26 significantly, the triumph of life over death, and through
27 these writings exhorted mankind to "be not afraid" to live
28 Christ-like lives, and
29 WHEREAS, Pope John Paul II, ecumenical leader and
30 religious unifier, emphasized that which is common among world
31 religions over that which is disputed; was the first Bishop of
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Florida Senate - 2005 (NP) SR 2736
11-1956-05 See HR 9131
1 Rome to pray with Roman Jews in their synagogue since St.
2 Peter and the first Pope to visit the Western Wall in
3 Jerusalem; called anti-Semitism a sin against God and was
4 known to have cried at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial; was
5 the first Pope since the Reformation to visit the Canterbury
6 Cathedral and with the Reverend Billy Graham held the great
7 ecumenical rally of 1987, bringing together evangelicals,
8 Protestants, Orthodox, and Anglicans to give common witness to
9 the Gospel; was the first Pope to visit a mosque and quote the
10 Qur'an and encouraged Christians to fast with Muslims during
11 Ramadan after the horror of September 11, 2001; coordinated
12 interfaith condemnations of terrorism; and constantly advanced
13 the understanding of the Church as a means of communion with
14 all people of God, and
15 WHEREAS, Pope John Paul II, instrumental in the defeat
16 of Nazism and Communism, two of the most pernicious and
17 godless evils of modern time, was adviser and spiritual
18 example to world leaders, holding over 730 audiences with
19 heads of state and almost 250 audiences with prime ministers,
20 and was a strong force in ending the nuclear arms race, and
21 WHEREAS, Pope John Paul II, Vicar of Christ, mystic,
22 and pastor to over 1.1 billion Roman Catholics and a powerful
23 exemplar of a consecrated life to people of all faiths
24 worldwide, was known as the pope of the people, or "don de
25 gente," for his love of all life, especially children and the
26 suffering, and for his example of strict morality and gentle
27 mercy; who, as an assassination attempt survivor, within three
28 days publicly forgave and ministered to his would-be assassin,
29 promoting hope and mercy for the condemned; and who, through
30 his daily example, epitomized a life guided by I Corinthians
31 11:1, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ," NOW, THEREFORE,
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Florida Senate - 2005 (NP) SR 2736
11-1956-05 See HR 9131
1 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
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3 That Pope John Paul II be remembered for his exemplary
4 life of daily courage as a common man who adored his God, who
5 through and for Him dedicated his life and soul to the love,
6 compassion, mercy, and service of others, and who in so doing
7 changed the world forever.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate, on behalf of
9 all Floridians, does commend his noble soul to the merciful
10 love of God our Heavenly Father and invoke upon all who mourn
11 his passing the divine blessings of consolation, strength, and
12 peace and further commend to all Floridians the encouragement
13 of "truth and faith" uttered as the last word by Pope John
14 Paul II, "Amen."
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