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Few deny that Pope John Paul II was a towering figure of the 20th century, a great pope of great consequence. His record-fast beatification, though, has prompted questions even from some supporters who suggest the Vatican should first answer lingering concerns about the flaws of his papacy.
John Paul’s holiness and accomplishments aren’t much in dispute: the second-longest living pope helped bring down communism, steered the Catholic Church through the tumultuous decades after the Second Vatican Council, and seemingly made being Catholic hip for a generation of young faithful who flocked to his Masses around the globe.
Those attributes and more are being highlighted in the runup to the May 1 beatification, which organizers estimate will bring as many as a million pilgrims to Rome. It’s the last formal step before being canonized as a saint. A prayer vigil on the Circus Maximus, an all-night prayer session in downtown Rome churches and the beatification Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI top the agenda for the three-day event.
Perhaps it’s inevitable that the record speed of the process has raised questions about whether the Vatican is rushing to judgment and merely ceding to the calls for “Santo Subito!” or “Sainthood Immediately!” that erupted during his 2005 funeral Mass.
Some point out many of the crimes and coverups of the clerical sex abuse scandal occurred during his 27-year watch—a scandal that has convulsed the church for the past decade and done seemingly irreparable harm to the faith in Ireland, in particular.
As his beatification nears, read more about the criticism of John Paul II’s papacy.
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