Originally published at National Catholic Register
COMMENTARY: Though he died 20 years ago, John Paul remains a pope of the future.
I had just completed writing The Integral Person in a Fractured World, which centered on Pope John Paul II’s theology of the body. All that was left to do was to do was type in the dedication: “This book is dedicated with humility and gratitude to His Holiness John Paul II: witness to Hope, embodiment of Faith, ambassador of Love.”
While I was writing this dedication, the doorbell rang. I was visited by a young man whose name is John Paul. It was an unexpected visit and the only one he ever made to my home. I could not pass off this unlikely occurrence as being a matter of chance, for I had experienced other remarkable occurrences involved the now canonized saint.
It was April 2, 2005. I had been invited to speak at a conference. During an intermission, I was chatting with a former student of mine who was, at that time, studying law. I was recounting several remarkable occurrences I had had involving the Pope. Our conversation was interrupted by the announcement that Pope John Paul II had died. We looked
