Many Dartmouth students grieved over the death of Pope John Paul II, the 84-year-old head of the Catholic Church and its estimated 1 billion followers. The pontiff passed away on Saturday from complications from a urinary tract infection.
While some Catholic students were on a retreat at the time the pope's death was confirmed, many who were on campus came together in informal support groups to watch the news. The College also provided prayer services on Friday to support the ailing Pope.
"I think people have been somberly obsessing over the legacy that he leaves," College Chaplain Richard Crocker said. "For most students at Dartmouth this is the only Pope they've every known. He's been around since before people were born, so they have a great deal of memories and attachment, even if they're not Catholic."
The loss of the pontiff was felt at a Mass held at Aquinas House, Dartmouth's Catholic student center.
"For a moment, you kind of feel like an orphan. You've lost your leader," said Jonathan Tullis '05, president of Aquinas House pastoral council. "There's a sense of loss and wonder of what's to come, as this has never happened in our lives."
Born Karol Wojtyla of Poland, John Paul II was the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years, and his 26-year papacy marked a return to a more conservative church after attempts to modernize it under Vatican II, the 1962-1965 council which gave more power to the congregation and liberalized many of the Church's traditions.
"He was a man who had a very clear vision of the peace in the gospel and he went after it," said Father Brendan Buckley, a priest at Aquinas House. He also praised John Paul II's international efforts.
Buckley also noted John Paul II's deep understanding of the power of reconciliation. John Paul II famously visited Mehmet Ali Hagca, the man who shot him four times in 1981, in prison to forgive him.
In 1998, the pontiff also asked for forgiveness from the Jewish community for the actions of Catholics during the Holocaust, an act that Buckley said showed his ability to ask for forgiveness, rather than just give it.
John Paul II also strove for global cohesion within the church, as demonstrated by his record as one of the most well-traveled popes in recent history, Tullis said.
The length of his reign, combined with his attempts to reach out the global community, contributed to his popularity, as evidenced by the many world leaders uniting to mourn his passing. President Bush has made tentative plans to attend the papal funeral, an action heretofore unheard of for an American president.
"He was in many ways, for young people, a very strong influence and even though he was more of a grandfather there was a very strong personal influence that he communicated." Buckley said, "Some people are very somber. He's the only pope that they've lost, but soon they'll just be happy to have a new pope. That's kind of the way it works with Catholicism."
