Concert, prayers on anniversary of Pope's death

By DEBORAH GYAPONG

OTTAWA (CCN) -- Canada's national capital marked the second anniversary of Pope John Paul II's death at Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica April 1 with a memorial concert, readings from the late Pope's writings, and a minute of silent prayer.

Sponsored jointly by the Polish Embassy and the Apostolic Nunciature, the concert featured the String Quartet Con Brio of Montreal, playing works by Schubert, Chopin, Bach, Szymanowski, and Hayden's The Seven Last Words of Christ.

Polish Ambassador H.E. Piotr Ogrodzinski recalled the image of John Paul's coffin with "the Gospel open, the wind was shuffling its pages."

"This book is in our hearts and I think that it is open," he told the gathering.

Ogrodzinski said Poles were so proud when the conclave elected the Polish Pope almost 30 years ago in a "decision so surprising" that there must have been some "extraordinary meaning" with major consequences. He said he didn't think the members of the conclave understood "how big the consequences will be."

When the Pope made his first visit to Poland and stood in Victory Square and called for freedom, the first "historical miracle" followed soon after: the establishment of the independent trade union Solidarity, "10 million strong

Pope John Paul `was the real hope'

in a communist state," Ogrodzinski said. Though "eight difficult years" lay ahead, Pope John Paul "was the real hope." That hope led to the "crumbling of the communist system," and Poland's becoming a sovereign democratic state.

Ogrodzinski recalled John Paul's message: "Do not be afraid," noting he was "sending this message to all human beings." The late Pope also recognized "the seed of goodness present in everyone," and "defied false ideologies."

John Paul "delivered the message to not be afraid to the last moment of his life," he said.

"We believe his courage of conviction came from his great faith and his closeness to God," said Msgr. Michael Crotty, first secretary to Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Luigi Ventura, who was out of the country. Msgr. Crotty said that "with death life is not ended, merely changed."

Msgr. Crotty noted the event was taking place on the "eve of the first phase of the beatification process" for Pope John Paul II, and "that the Church will soon declare him as numbered among the saints of God."

Msgr. Crotty said Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica was "the most dignified and most beautiful church in Ottawa, and therefore a "most appropriate place" for the memorial.

At 9:37 p.m., the hour of the Pope's death on April 2, 2005, the concert paused for the lighting of candles in front of his portrait, and then the hundreds of people in attendance stood for a minute of silent prayer.