Multiply that by 10 billion, and that is how Mexicans feel about John Paul the II. He is everything you could want in a venerated being...charming, charismatic, holy, and dead. He was and continues to be the face that adorns many Mexican-Catholic walls inside of homes and Churches alike.
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| Here we see JPII ready for El Harabe Tapatio |
This weekend, you have undoubtedly seen the fanfare and hooplah surrounding the beatification of JP II. As I explained to some students earlier in the week, his beatification doesn't make him a saint, just yet. He is now classified as "Blessed."
In fact the way I explained it was like this: You know how after you graduate from college you get a Bachelors? Well if you keep going, and want to be extra smart, you can earn your Masters. Then, if you are really ambitious, you can move on to get your Doctorate. Its the same thing in the Church. When you have died, you get the title, "Deceased." Then if you are feeling extra holy, and want to do a miracle, you will earn your "Blessed." Then, if you are really really ambitious, heal another couple of times, and you will earn your "Sainthood."
Crude explanation? maybe. Did the students get the point? Most assuredly. Then I finished by explaining, that becoming a "Blessed" or a "Saint" in the Catholic church really amps up your celebrity status. For Mexican Catholics however, JPII already had the celebrity status. He wasn't even dead yet and he was being a Saint in some Latino circles. Some viejas were so nuts-o over him, you probably could have sold them his toe-nail clippings as relics. I even saw once, a picture that a Mexican photographer supposedly took back in 1980's of the sunset around the time he was shot. Supposedly there was a dark spot that he blew up, and it was the image of JPII hugging the Virgin Mary. This is the picture.
It clearly is not a photo but looks more like a painting. Regardless, it shows you the amount of love and devotion the brown man and woman has for the JPII. Like any good and devoted Mexican Catholic, I have my own JPII story. I actually had the opportunity to see Blessed JP II in person. With my naked eye. Sure he was close to 1/2 a mile away, but I saw him dang it. The priest at the time, from Our Lady of Guadalupe, my home parish back in Billings, MT, took my cousin, Mark and I to the World Youth Day down in Denver back in 1993. This was the summer before my sophomore year in High School. We took the pilgrimage. Long car ride to Denver.
As a 15 year old, I didn't quite get the grasp of how significant seeing the Pope actually was. Until we hit Denver that is. There were people from all over the world in the Mile High City. Languages and cultures, we never even heard of. Who knew that there was a an American Samoa? We filled up the then, "Mile High Stadium" with a Mass that the Pope wasn't even there for, just some 2nd rate Cardinals and such. On our third day there, we took a huge hike to Cherry Creek Park and camped out for the World Youth Day Mass. This is where things got nuts. We hiked for a couple hours to get to our "camp-site." Did I drink water? No. We were up all night, cheering, and singing and laughing, and meeting new people. My cousin, Mark and I even met a group of girls from Texas. Did I eat any food? No. So after about 16 hours of no water or food, I thought it a brilliant idea to eat. So what did I buy? M&M's. A big bag. By 4 the next morning I finally did have something to drink. By 4:30 I had to pee. I work my way to the Porta-Pottee village (seriously hundreds of them), and stand in line. At the edge of the shanty poop-town, a group of my people, Mexicans with guitars, had made it their ministry to play music and sing to the people doing the pottee dance in line. Pretty cool huh? And between songs they shouted crazy cheers for JPII in the ol' espanol. I wish I could remember them, but as you know, I didn't/don't speak Spanish so well. Anywho, back to the story. Soon its 8:00 am. I haven't slept. I have only eaten M&M's and had a small bottle of water. I wasn't feeling so good. It gets hot and I end up dehydrated. I was awake for the Pope's arrival in the Pope-mobile. It was awesome. Sadly, I remember little after that. I found myself after enduring a dull haze, and my cousin saying, "You don't look so good," laying on a cot in the Medical tent, due to heat exhaustion. I have an IV in my arm, and I'm tired as hell. Looking back at the time, it would have been a great opportunity to see a vision of Mary or JPII hugging me or something. Maybe I wasn't quite Mexican enough at the time, but I digress. I got escorted back to my camp site after the IV and lie down under a tarp. I woke up a few times during the rest of the 2 hour mass. From what I remember it was really cool to hear JPII's actual voice blaring over the loud speakers. I remember being woken up to get in a looooooooong line and receive communion. There were 20 or so semi-trucks backed up with boxes and boxes of communion wafers. That's a lot of Jesus. Anyway, I didn't get to receive communion from JP II. I think you have to be a big deal for that. I did, however get close enough to actually see him with my eyes, not on the Jumbo-trons. It was surprisingly profound. A big moment in my life that I wouldn't trade for anything.
Anyway, JPII is now Blessed. Pretty cool deal. Even if your not a fan of him or the Catholic Church, you can, at the very least be happy that this event gave you some respite from all the media-whoring being done over the royal wedding. And for that respite, I say: John Paul II, we love you!
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