THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 21, 1995 TAG: 9510200071
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Issues of Faith
SOURCE: Betsy Mathews Wright
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
WEDGED SOMEWHAT quietly between the O.J. Simpson verdict and the Million Man March was the five-day visit of Pope John Paul II to the United States.
If ever we needed Papa, it's now.
Some believe this was the 75-year-old pontiff's last visit to his unruly American brood. The pope is frail. Nevertheless, his message of hope is strong, and his words of chastisement still carry a potent sting.
Americans, Catholic or not, love him, even if they don't always see eye-to-eye with him. A recent U.S. News and World Report poll of American Catholics revealed ``that while nearly 86 percent think John Paul is doing a good job as pope, on issues such as birth control, ordination of women and celibacy of priests, they disagree with the pontiff by almost two-to-one.''
The magazine also reported that on almost every issue - except divorce - American Catholics under age 55 are much more likely than their elders to publicly disagree with official church positions.
So why do those who disagree with the church on some pretty big issues stay with it? I believe it is because those issues do not define their faith.
What issues do define their faith? Things like hope, peace of mind, a sense of belonging, humility, caring for others, service to humanity, holiness and a belief in the sacredness of life.
On these things of faith, Pope John Paul II is the world's most eloquent and believable communicator. Whether you like his positions or not, one cannot deny that John Paul emits love from every pore and every fibre of his being. To see him, I believe, is to see a true reflection of Jesus Christ.
In this world of cheap thrills and even cheaper celebrities, the pope is that unique and rare being: a holy person.
And it is the soul's natural desire for holiness that draws people to him and to the church he leads. When I think of the faith walks of my family and friends who are Catholic, I do not think about their beliefs on birth control or women priests. What comes to mind are the real definitions of their faith.
I think of Johnny and Karen Miller, college buddies, who were uplifted by their parish family's prayers and countless acts of kindness during Karen's two-year battle with cancer.
I think of my brother Fred; his wife, Lynn; and their young son, Hunter, whose devotion to family draws them to a church that is keenly ``child friendly'' and a respecter of parental authority.
I think of my friend Gary Budd, a former Methodist who converted to Catholicism during an emotionally numbing divorce and found stability in a most unstable time.
I think of my mother-in-law, Joan, whose faith kept her strong through the death of a child, a sister, her parents and her husband.
For these people, and the 960 million other Catholics around the world, the church is not just a few hot potato debates over sex, priesthood and abortion. The church is a family. God's family. Sometimes the family members disagree, but they are there for each other.
And at the head of the table, is Papa. MEMO: Every other week, Betsy Mathews Wright publishes responses to her
opinion column. Send responses to Issues of Faith, The Virginian-Pilot,
150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23510; call (804) 446-2273; FAX
(804) 436-2798; or send computer message via bmw(AT)infi.net. Deadline
is Tuesday prior to publication. Must include name, city and phone
number. by CNB