http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/ja … agellation
Pope John Paul II self-flagellated regularly to imitate Christ's suffering and signed a secret document saying he would resign instead of ruling for life if he became incurably ill, a book claims. The book – Why He Is a Saint: the Real John Paul II – has been written by Monsignor Slawomir Oder, the Vatican official in charge of the process that could lead to sainthood for the late pontiff. The pope, who died in 2005, was shot and nearly killed in 1981, had several operations including one for cancer, and had Parkinson's disease for more than a decade before his death.
He moved closer to sainthood last month when the pope, Benedict XVI, approved a decree recognising that his papal predecessor had lived the Christian faith heroically. Citing individuals in the late pope's entourage while he was a bishop in Poland and after he was elected pontiff in 1978, the book says that John Paul II inflicted pain on himself to feel closer to God. "In his closet, among his vestments, there was hung on a clothes hanger a particular kind of belt which he used as a whip," Oder writes.
When he was a bishop, he often slept on the bare floor so he could practise self-denial and asceticism, Oder writes. Many saints of the Church, including St Francis of Assisi, St Catherine of Siena and St Ignatius of Loyola, practised flagellation and asceticism as part of their spiritual life.
"It is clear the aspect of penitence was present in the life of John Paul II," Oder told a news conference today. "It should be seen as part of his profound relationship with the Lord." The book confirms that as his health failed, John Paul II prepared a document stating he would step down instead of ruling for life if he became incurably ill or impaired from carrying out his duties. The pontiff signed the document in 1989, eight years after the shooting. Its existence had been the subject of rumours but it is published in full in the book.
In the end, the pope stayed on until his death, saying it was for the good of the church. Had he stepped down, he would have been the first Catholic pontiff to do so willingly since 1294 when Celestine V decided he was not up to the job.The next step towards sainthood for John Paul II will be the recognition of a miracle attributed to him: it involves a French nun who was cured of Parkinson's disease after praying to him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally I think this is crazy. For some, rational people, flaggelating yourself would either be a sign of sexual perversion or mental illness. In the Catholic Church it means you're a saint! Absolutely crazy. Good example of the madness of organised religion, though.
Pope John Paul II self-flagellated regularly to imitate Christ's suffering and signed a secret document saying he would resign instead of ruling for life if he became incurably ill, a book claims. The book – Why He Is a Saint: the Real John Paul II – has been written by Monsignor Slawomir Oder, the Vatican official in charge of the process that could lead to sainthood for the late pontiff. The pope, who died in 2005, was shot and nearly killed in 1981, had several operations including one for cancer, and had Parkinson's disease for more than a decade before his death.
He moved closer to sainthood last month when the pope, Benedict XVI, approved a decree recognising that his papal predecessor had lived the Christian faith heroically. Citing individuals in the late pope's entourage while he was a bishop in Poland and after he was elected pontiff in 1978, the book says that John Paul II inflicted pain on himself to feel closer to God. "In his closet, among his vestments, there was hung on a clothes hanger a particular kind of belt which he used as a whip," Oder writes.
When he was a bishop, he often slept on the bare floor so he could practise self-denial and asceticism, Oder writes. Many saints of the Church, including St Francis of Assisi, St Catherine of Siena and St Ignatius of Loyola, practised flagellation and asceticism as part of their spiritual life.
"It is clear the aspect of penitence was present in the life of John Paul II," Oder told a news conference today. "It should be seen as part of his profound relationship with the Lord." The book confirms that as his health failed, John Paul II prepared a document stating he would step down instead of ruling for life if he became incurably ill or impaired from carrying out his duties. The pontiff signed the document in 1989, eight years after the shooting. Its existence had been the subject of rumours but it is published in full in the book.
In the end, the pope stayed on until his death, saying it was for the good of the church. Had he stepped down, he would have been the first Catholic pontiff to do so willingly since 1294 when Celestine V decided he was not up to the job.The next step towards sainthood for John Paul II will be the recognition of a miracle attributed to him: it involves a French nun who was cured of Parkinson's disease after praying to him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally I think this is crazy. For some, rational people, flaggelating yourself would either be a sign of sexual perversion or mental illness. In the Catholic Church it means you're a saint! Absolutely crazy. Good example of the madness of organised religion, though.
