The Servant of God John Paul II

You must have seen the news that a miracle has been confirmed for the beatification of the late Pope John Paul II. The decree for his beatification has been issued (you can find it here).

And you may also have noticed elsewhere in www land that some of the traditionalist brethren are mightily provoked. Well, to be honest they have some points on their side. The koran-kissing incident springs to mind as does that dreadful Assisi gathering.

But. . . .

He is also the pope of Ecclesia Dei, the decree that removed some of the restrictions on the Roman Rite Mass. He's also the pope who welcomed and encouraged the founding of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter, the first of the congregations in unambiguous union with Rome to be devoted exclusively to the Roman Rite. It was Pope John Paul II that made sure they were, contrary to custom, immediately made of pontifical right which freed them from some of the meddling of unfriendly local bishops. And there were more to follow: the Institute of Christ the King, the regularisation of the Monastery of St Madeleine du Barroux, the return to tradition of the Abbey of Fontgombault (and now its half dozen or so daughter houses), the Canons Regular of the Mother of God, the Canons of the New Jerusalem, the Dominicans of St Vincent Ferrer, the Institute of the Good Shepherd. There are others that don't come to mind at the moment, all of them devoted to the ancient liturgy. And I haven't mentioned any of the sisters and nuns.

There is much to thank God for in Pope John Paul II.