Article Added On: April 02, 2005 - over 3 years ago
Title: Canadians Remember
Author: Estanislao Oziewicz, Ingrid Peritz, Bill Curry, and Dawn Walton
Publication: Globe and Mail
Publication Date: January 01, 2005 - over 3 years ago
Faith Groups: Roman Catholic
Themes: religious attitudes in Canada
Abstract: Across Canada, people remember Pope John Paul II's visits here, and his significance to Canadian Roman Catholics.
Description: Across Canada, people remember Pope John Paul II's remarkable influence.
A feeling of sadness and native-son pride, along with consonant-rich Polish and the aroma of kielbasa sausage, hung over Roncesvalles Avenue in west-end Toronto yesterday as the Pope moved closer to death.
There was a sense of inevitability, too. Tears welled up in the eyes of Rev. Janusz Blazejak, pastor of St. Casimir's Roman Catholic Church, as he reflected on the papacy of John Paul II in his rectory office. And he used the past tense.
"He was the greatest legacy we ever had, the greatest man Poland has ever given to the world," Father Blazejak said. "He was loved and honoured by everyone -- no exceptions."
If there is a microcosm of Polish life in Canada, it is along Roncesvalles, where Poles have predominated for decades in a largely European mix. There are bakeries, delicatessens, taverns, restaurants, travel agencies and cultural organizations, all serving Polish-speaking customers.
"It's a sad day for us," Father Blazejak said, hours before special devotions and an evening mass in the Pope's name. "But the moment of death has to come to all of us. We do realize that, but it is still sad."
An estimated 817,000 people of Polish origin are dispersed throughout Canada. About 167,000 live in Toronto.
At the Artus bookstore, 96-year-old Mike Kinczel, a veteran of two world wars who came to Canada in 1951, said the Pope was not only saintly but a slayer of communism.
"The church will gain greatly through his death, because he will be remembered for a very long, long time. And thanks to him and [late U.S. president Ronald] Reagan, the world was changed and he got rid of communism."
The Pope visited Toronto twice as Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, and made three papal trips to Canada. The last was in 2002, when almost 750,000 people attended mass in Toronto's Downsview Park.
According to the 2001 census, there are 12.5 million Roman Catholic Canadians, making it the country's most popular religion.
In Montreal, at St. Joseph's Oratory, the pews beneath the vaulted sanctuary were packed with the faithful -- young and old, new Canadians and old-stock Quebeckers, all of them joined together to pray silently for the pontiff. Some choked back tears.
St. Joseph's is one of the most visible Roman Catholic landmarks in Quebec. The Pope visited the hillside basilica church, whose dome is second only in size to St. Peter's in Rome, in 1984.
Nadia Brianza, 31, knelt in prayer and then lit a candle for the Pope in the shrine's crypt, which was aglow with so many candles that the area gave off a tropical heat.
"Knowing he might die affects me deeply," said Ms. Brianza, who saw the Pope during his visit to Montreal. "He was there for us. He's our mentor, our guidance."
Although religious observance has dropped off drastically in Quebec, the province is home to almost half of Canada's Roman Catholics. They account for 83 per cent of the province's population.
Ingrid Peritz
Ottawa Catholics, and some well-wishing non-Catholics, trickled through the doors of Notre Dame Cathedral to say a prayer for the Pope. A handful of parishioners took part in a morning mass and about 100 took part in regularly scheduled Friday services.
In between, a few stopped in to pray. But at times they were outnumbered by sightseers.
Martyne Des Ruisseaux of Ottawa said she didn't always agree with the Pope but thought highly of his advocacy for the poor.
"I hope that his successor will continue that openness toward the disenfranchised and those who are different, which was the message of Christ," she said.
Bill Curry
In Calgary, Roman Catholic Bishop Fred Henry recalled about 20 meetings he had with the pontiff over the years, and said he had a remarkable ability to communicate with people of all ages, across faiths and over borders.
"It's been an incredible experience to have met him," he said yesterday, adding that he was frequently struck by how solid the Pope seemed, in both personality and stature.
But he was also a man who wasn't afraid to show his humble side, Bishop Henry added. "History will be torn between two descriptive titles for this pope -- John Paul the Great and the People's Pope."
Dawn Walton
In Kamloops, B.C., Prime Minister Paul Martin said the pontiff had a deep impact on modern history.
"This is a man of profound faith who was instrumental in the ending of the Cold War, the opening of Eastern Europe," Mr. Martin said.
In the Vancouver suburb of Surrey, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said the Pope's contribution to the world was tremendous.
"I'm not a Catholic, but this Pope -- I think it's an understatement to say he's had an impact, not just on Christianity," he said.
