By Andrew Coen
A universally beloved and respected leader, John Paul II was credited with helping to bring about the fall of communism, staunchly defending those "persecuted by ideologies and powers that denied the transcendent value of the human spirit," said Murphy. As a defender of human life and dignity, especially the poor and downtrodden, John Paul II was often referred to as the people's pope.
Five Towners of all faiths also mourned the death of the pope, who served as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church for 26 years, the third longest papacy in history. He was the 263rd pope, the first of Polish descent and first non-Italian since 1522.
Area churches held masses in honor of the pope and reflected on what he meant to Catholicism and other faiths. "He certainly was a man who spoke the truth and lived the truth," said the Rev. Paul F. Rahilly, pastor of St. Joachim RC Church in Cedarhurst. "He was a great man of courage and compassion."
"He worked so hard and never gave up until the end," said the Rev. Richard Nilsson, pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel RC Church in Inwood. "He showed us how to live without fear and die without fear."
Parishioners at St. Joseph's RC Church in Hewlett reflected on John Paul II's legacy as they attended Sunday morning mass the day after his death. Raymond Chmiel, 80, said the pope has a special place in his heart, since he is also of Polish descent. When he learned of his passing, Chmiel immediately went to St. Joseph's, across the street from his Hewlett home, to pray. "When I found out, I came right here," said Chmiel, who belongs to the Polish Legion of American Veterans. "I think he's with God."
"He spoke to the world of his beliefs and was very caring," Hewlett resident Lucy Prisco said of John Paul II. "He spoke from his heart."
Marion Baldwin of Hewlett said she would remember the pope for his efforts to reach out to other religions besides Catholicism. "He tried to get all religions and people together," said Baldwin.
The pope's death was also mourned in the Five Towns Jewish community, since the Catholic leader made an effort to improve interfaith relations and was the first pope to visit Israel as well as a synagogue in Rome. He also opened up diplomatic relations between the Vatican and Israel during his papacy.
Last January, the Pave the Way Foundation, a Long Island-based group whose mission is to promote peace by embracing the similarities among the world's religions and encouraging understanding through cultural, technological, and intellectual exchanges, had the last public audience with the pope. Pave the Way founders and Long Beach residents Gary and Merry Krupp led the largest group of Jewish leaders ever to visit the Vatican to "say thank you for all the pope has done for Jewish people and the state of Israel," said Gary.
Krupp, who lived in Rockville Centre for more than 30 years before moving to Long Beach four years ago, was knighted by the pope into the Order of St. Gregory the Great in 2000, making him a member of the House of the Holy See. Krupp was the seventh Jewish man ever to be so honored, and is one of only three who are still alive.
Rabbi Sholom Stern, spiritual leader of Temple Beth El of Cedarhurst, got to greet the Catholic leader, as did other Jewish leaders from the South Shore during the trip. "He mustered every ounce of strength to meet with us," said Rabbi Stern, who added that the Catholic leader was very frail at the time.
Rabbi Stern said as for relations with Jews, Pope John Paul II ranks right behind Pope John XXIII, who served from 1958 to 1963 and initiated the second Vatican Council that said Jews should not be held responsible for the killing of Jesus Christ. "[John Paul II] really made a lot of serious overtures to the Jewish community," said Rabbi Stern. "He left a wonderful legacy to build upon with the next pope."
Saul Teplitz, rabbi emeritus of Congregation Sons of Israel in Woodmere, who was the synagogue's spiritual leader from 1963 to 1991, had the opportunity to meet John Paul II in 1979, when he was one of 24 international leaders invited to take part in a meeting organized by the Vatican's Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews. Teplitz, who was president of the Synagogue Council of America at the time, had the opportunity to meet the Catholic leader just five months after he became pope, and spent a little over an hour with him. "He was one who made it his business to quell anti-Semitism wherever he could," said Teplitz. "He really had a concern for mankind."
The Rev. Elisabeth Aurand, the pastor of Lutheran Church of the Incarnation in Cedarhurst, said that in addition to improving relations with Jews, the pope did much for other Christian faiths, as evidenced by his role in the Joint Declaration between the Catholics and Lutherans in 1999. "We prayed for our Catholic brothers and sisters [Sunday]," said Aurand. "We pray the successor will be as loved."
"His reaching out to other faiths and other philosophies spoke for his enormous, enormous intelligence," said the Rev. Rahilly.
Professor Seymour Jeffries, an attorney from Woodmere, had the opportunity to speak with the pope for 10 minutes in 2001 when he and other lawyers from around the world were in Rome for the Harvard International Congress. "He was the most charismatic man I ever met," said Jeffries, who is also a professor at Long Island University-Brooklyn. "He was able to speak every language from all of us who met with him."
Jeffries, who is also Jewish, had a Masonic ring on his finger symbolizing his faith, which the pope took note of, but did not alter the way he treated the Five Towns attorney, despite the difference in religious beliefs. "He made me feel welcome even though I was Jewish," said Jeffries. "He made me feel totally comfortable."
"We believe he's got his reward for all he's done," said Nilsson.
Esther McKenna and Beth Wallach contributed to this story. Comments about it? ACoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
