In separate reports on the beatification of Pope John Paul II, the Boston Globe and the Telegram & Gazette sought out faculty experts at the College of the Holy Cross to provide insight into the event and what it means for Catholics around the world.
Responding to the relatively short amount of time between John Paul's death and his beatification, Rev. Thomas Worcester, S.J., professor of history and author of The Papacy Since 1500: From Italian Prince to Universal Pastor, told the Boston Globe, “It does seem rushed compared to other beatifications, particularly other beatifications of popes,’’ noting John Paul beatified two previous popes on the same Sunday in 2000 — John XXIII, and Pius IX.
Commenting on John Paul's popularity, Mathew N. Schmalz, an associate professor of religious studies, told the Telegram & Gazette, “He is still looked upon as the face of modern Catholicism. He had a vision for the church that many embrace.”
This "Holy Cross in the News" item by Kristine Maloney.
