24644: VISHNUSURF (reply) re: 24643: Pilling re: Remembering the Pope John Paul II

[sak-pase@bimini.ws]

VISHNUSURF@aol.com


Pope John Paul II did indeed visit Haiti in March of 1983.  What he 
refused to do was cater to the Duvalier dictatorship (unlike Mother 
Theresa!), instead denouncing the rampant poverty and human rights abuse 
in the country with the resounding words at the airport:

"IL FAUT QUE QUELQUE CHOSE CHANGE ICI !!!"

This quite empowered the Tilegliz movement, and surely inspired Aristide 
in his rise to political power.  Just how much has changed in Haiti 
concretely since 1983 is debatable, though clearly the masses today feel 
emboldened to speak out like they never could under the Duvaliers, and 
that at least is quite meritorious. 

I always had the impression that this pope was deeply loved by many 
Haitian Catholics, poor and wealthy alike.  One strange image rebounded 
into my memory as I have been thinking so much about John Paul's legacy 
over the last couple of days... strange as it is revelaling, I think.  
Visiting the home of a very wealthy Lebanese-Haitian family in PAP one 
day, I was struck by the juxtaposition of two large, ornately framed 
photographic portraits dominating the dining room: one of John Paul II, 
and the other of Yasser Arafat.  I still wonder what to make of that.