Series: On the life of John Paul II
From 1991 - 1995 A.D.
The Gulf War
As the world entered the decade of the 1990s, it just experienced the breakup of the Soviet Union and the retreat of Soviet communism. Now, the focus of the world's attention was riveted on the impending Gulf War. John Paul wrote a letter to USA President George Bush and to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq, in an attempt to avert the war. The letter was written the 5th of January, 1991 A.D., but the Gulf War still erupted two days later. Fortunately, the war was brief and shortlived; it ended on February 28, 1991 A.D.
Still the missionary Pope
1991 A.D. again saw the Pope travelling to countries outside Rome:
May 10-13: Portugal
June 1-19: Poland
August 13-20: Czestochowa, Poland (3rd World Youth Day)
October 12-21: Brazil
In the Holy Father's fourth visit to Poland, he saw the advent of free enterprise. The Western world was now coming to Poland: mass-market paperbacks, Hollywood movies, and commercial TV. But the Holy Father had a mission in mind for Poland - that Poland would return to its Christian roots and become a beacon of hope for the rest of Europe in the coming third millenium.
A third social encyclical
The Pope wrote three important encyclicals on questions of labor, politics, and economics. The first in 1981 A.D. (Laborem Exercens - On Human Work); the second in 1987 A.D. (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis - On Social Concern); and the third encyclical - which was to clarify his position on capitalism (Centesimus Annus - The Hundredth Year), was written on May 1, 1991 A.D. His basic message was that only Catholic social doctrine can purify capitalism and democracy. This third social encyclical reflects John Paul's social wisdom - a wisdom believed by many to be his legacy not only for the coming decades but also and perhaps, even in the coming centuries.
Highlight of 1992 A.D.
Aside from his missionary trips outside Italy, the year 1992 A.D. saw the Holy Father establishing diplomatic relations with various countries, and recognizing the sovereignty of many states. The Pope recognized the Russian Federation in January 1 and Croatia and Slovenia in January 12. He also established diplomatic relations with Croatia, Slovenia, Ukraine (February 8); Swaziland (March 11); Mongolia (April 4); Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova (May 23); Nauru (June 1); Mexico (September 21); Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan (October 17); and Belarus (November 11). Aside from establishing political ties with many states, the Holy Father never forgot his mission to the nations. His pastoral visits outside Italy included: Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea (February 19-26), Angola, Sao Tome and Principe (June 4-10), and Santo Domingo (October 9-14) for the 5th centenary of the evangelization of Latin America. It was also in this year, 1992 A.D., that the Holy Father instituted the World Day for the Sick - celebrated annually on February 11, and beatified two persons: Jose Maria Escriva de Balaguer (founder of Opus Dei), and Giuseppina Bakhita of Sudan.
Physical suffering
In his mid-seventies, the Pope suffered one physical affliction after another. In July 1992 A.D., he had a nonmalignant growth taken from his large intestine, and stones removed from his gallbladder. In November 1993 A.D., he broke his shoulder in a fall. The following year, he fractured his femur slipping in the shower, and was obliged to have an artificial hip replacement. Despite all these, the Holy Father, did not lack hope. On August 12-15, 1993 A.D., he was in Denver, Colorado, addressing a hundred thousand young people - the fourth International World Youth Day. The cheers of the Church's youth in America invigorated him and gave him cause for optimism.
World Youth Days
International World Youth Days had been held in Argentina, Spain, and Poland. The fourth was held in the USA. For his next World Youth Day trip, in 1995 A.D., John Paul would travel to the Philippines. It was in Manila, 1995 A.D., where the Holy Father would attract four million to his papal mass - his largest-ever crowd. The World Youth Days were his idea, a way of reaching out to young Catholics directly, bypassing the filtering effects of Church elders and the news media (these Youth events alternate yearly between Rome and an international site). Both the Pope and his young flock are, according to him, pilgrims on the same path, searching for "a real encounter with Jesus Christ."
Edited from the following sources
- The Pope Coming from the East, by Teresio Bosco, S.D.B.
- An Intimate Portrait: John Paul II, by Mark Bakermans
- The Pontiff in Winter, by John Cornwell
- Pope John Paul II: Champion of Faith, by TV Guide Magazine Group, Inc.
- Special Report: The 25 Years of Pope John Paul II, Vatican Information Service
- John Paul II: A Great Pope Passes into History, Readers Digest (June 2005)
- John Paul II: 1920-2005, Newsweek Special Double Issue (April 11/April 18, 2005)
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