Prayers on the Internet” “” “

Internet sites completely revamped and dedicated to John Paul II; biographies, speeches, homilies, photographic tributes; and especially forums open to anyone who wants to post a prayer, a thought, a memory: that’s how the majority of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe have followed the death, funeral and last farewell to Pope John Paul II. Romania Hundreds of messages are arriving on Catholic websites to express a thought or a prayer, after the death of John Paul II. Catholics, Orthodox and even non-believers, Romanian citizens living in the country or abroad, are writing to the site www.Catholica.ro or to diocesan sites to express their affection and appreciation for John Paul II the Great. In an interview with the website Catholica.ro, the Apostolic Nuncio in Romania, Jean-Claude Perisset, thanked all those who have transmitted their spiritual solidarity with John Paul II in prayer through the internet. “I hope that everyone may learn to appreciate not only the teaching of Karol Wojtyla, but especially his example of total dedication to Christ, total dedication to the Virgin Mary – “totus tuus” – and total dedication to the Church”. United Kingdom The homepage of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has been completely revamped and dedicated to John Paul II. A photo of the pope appears on the screen, together with the two phrases: “ Resquiescat in Pace” and “ Totus Tuus“. Below are the “latest photos” of the pontificate of John Paul II, followed by a series of features on the life of the pope and the procedures to be followed for the Conclave and the election of the new pope. Lastly there’s a space dedicated to the “tributes” that the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and the political and civil world have paid to John Paul II: from the words of Queen Elizabeth II to those of religious and political leaders. Belgium and Luxembourg A photo of the waving Pope dominates the homepage of the website of the Bishops’ Conference of Belgium, which has placed at the disposal of the faithful a forum for them to express messages of condolence, tributes and prayers. The Catholic Church of Luxembourg has done likewise. On the Belgian site it is possible to read the complete text in French of the spiritual testament of John Paul II and the homily of Cardinal Danneels, pronounced in the cathedral of St. Michel on 3 April. In view of the election of the new pope, the text of the Constitution “Universi Dominici Gregis” has been placed at the disposal of the faithful. Particularly impressive is the gallery of photos taken in Rome in the days following the pope’s death: images of the faithful in the streets, waiting patiently to give their last farewell to the pope, praying in St. Peter’s Square, or camped in tents for the night. France The French Bishops’ Conference has also decided to sideline all news on Church life in the country to a link in order to dedicate its homepage to John Paul II. The website is full of information, both from the Vatican (with the homily of Cardinal Ratzinger at the funeral mass and the opening of the Conclave scheduled for 18 April) and from the French dioceses (with the various commemorative events promoted to pay tribute to the pope). Particularly interesting is the part dedicated to the relations between John Paul II and France. The dossier reviews his various pastoral journeys to the country and the many visits of heads of state and of government to the Vatican, right down to the last letter that John Paul II sent to the French episcopate on 15 February 2005 in which he speaks of “secularism” and the non-confessional State. Ireland and Malta “Guard over your Church, Lord, and guide her…”. That’s the invocation chosen by the archdiocese of Dublin for its website which opens with a photo of St. Peter’s and a series of communiqués and homilies on the pope’s death, including those of Cardinal Desmond Connell (in Rome for the Conclave) and Monsignor Diarmuid Martin, primate of the Irish Church. The archdiocese of Malta, for its part, had completely dedicated its homepage to a portrait of John Paul II with the dates of his birth and death.