Irish church leaders yesterday called for prayers for Pope John Paul II. The Catholic Primate, Archbishop Sean Brady, asked Catholics to "pray fervently" that the Pope "may be united ever more closely with Jesus in his suffering and be given all the graces that he needs at this time".
Speaking to an overflow congregation at a Mass for Pope John Paul in Dublin's Pro-Cathedral last night, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, said the Pope was "patiently facing that great moment of human fragility: his own death. And he is facing it with extraordinary spiritual strength, deep faith in God and dignity".
Among the attendance at the Mass were Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Capt Lorraine Fahy representing President Mary McAleese, and Minister for Education Mary Hanafin. Polish ambassador Witold Sobkow, was also present.
Celebrants of the Mass with Archbishop Martin included Cardinal Desmond Connell and the papal nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazarotto.
The Archdeacon of Dublin, the Ven David Pierpoint, represented the Church of Ireland.
After the Mass, Cardinal Desmond Connell spoke of the "awful loss" Pope John Paul's death would be.
But there was also "immense gratitude to God, for the gift of such a Pope", he said.
The Taoiseach said the numbers at last night's Mass "showed the great love of the people of Dublin for the Pope".
Archdeacon Pierpoint said he "would like to assure our Christian neighbours that our prayers are with the Pope at this sad and difficult time".
The moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Rev Ken Newell, said Pope John Paul's belief in the dignity of the human being and protection of human life were exemplified in the manner with which he had borne his personal suffering.
Throughout his life the Pope had been "a man of great courage who was never scared to stand up for what he believed to be right whether the issue was moral, social or political," he said.
The president of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Rev Brian Fletcher, spoke of the Pope's great charisma. "His global journeys reinforced the size and diversity of the Roman Catholic community," Mr Fletcher said, while "his youthful spirit endeared him to the young faithful."
The Bishop of Cloyne Dr John Magee, who had been secretary to the Pope up to 1982, said he had always been ready to die.
"The only time that he told me that he wasn't going to die was immediately after his being shot in 1981 when he turned to me as he was being put into the ambulance," said Bishop Magee.
A special prayer service was organised in the Apparition Chapel in Knock, Co Mayo, where there had been a steady flow of visitors to the shrine all day.
