POPE John Paul II chalked up his 100th foreign trip as pontiff when he visited Croatia, a largely Catholic country struggling to shed the scars of war and decades of Communist rule.
During the June 5-9 trip, the Pope crisscrossed the country carrying a message of hope, preaching post-war reconciliation and paying tribute to the country’s women and families.
He urged Croatia’s people to build on their religious faith and traditional family values.
The 83 year-old pontiff, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease and hip and knee conditions, kept up a gruelling pace, celebrating four outdoor liturgies in intense heat and humidity. It was the 100th foreign trip of his 24-year pontificate.
At a Mass on June 8, in the far northern port city of Rijeka, the Pope urged Croatians not to lose hope in the face of post-war difficulties but to find “authentic joy” in following Jesus individually and as families.
The frail Pope’s perseverance drew cheers from the 150,000 people gathered for the Mass.
The main purpose of the trip was the beatification of a 20th century nun, Sr Maria Petkovic, who devoted her life to the poor and founded an order, the Daughters of Mercy, dedicated to charitable work. (CNS)
