Search - Credo: John Paul II on DVD

John Paul II the Great

Juanita Lenore | Montgomery, Alabama+ | 04/02/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD is a partial portrayal of the mystical, energetic life spent with us, that of Pope JP II, Pope of the Roman Catholic Church since 1978, is displayed as the listener is treated to the magnificent, classic audio selections of Andrea Bocelli. A delightful combination, yet sad.



The life of John Paul II is not completely summarized in this effort, but rather, his time spent with us as the unequalled pope, in our desperate times, is summarized. The intention is to give one hope as this suffering human is seen centering all he humbly does in vignettes attibuting his prayer, actions, travels, interactions as those springing from love which originates in Jesus Christ Himself.

The continual reference to scenes of those mourning his loss, felt by the 3 million attendees of his wake, center the soul on the one who is no longer visible from the window from which I have seen him so often.

He is no longer with us who loved him so much.

These chapters are filled with the ventures of a figure of Christ Himself; not of John Paul the man. He lived the intended life of Christ while with us. Let us not lose sight of his love for the most powerless, the most down-trodden, and the children, whose little faces are obvious in almost every scene.

Now that his cause for beatification is being more urgently scrutinized we are reminded of the wonderful intercessor we have sitting at the Feet of Jesus, begging the Blessed Mother to hold back The Arm of Christ, the effects of that arm which we deserve.

The English subtitles are not optimal, some words are not of correct English grammar/spelling, but, the intense love is expressed in the wonderful cuts from the Vatican Archives and embellished by the most admired tenor of our generation, Andrea Bocelli. Who else to sing to my heart as tears flow down my face, realizing the loss we have experienced without our friend's Polish smile, and quiet, intense piety, which have evolved from a life of suffering and loss. This artform helps to reflect the supernatural clarity and strength of the human condition, which we seem to lose sight of belonging to; It seems that "it (the world) is all about us", after all.

This effort did well to portray that goal, to take me out of my box and force me to extend myself to others to try to emulate the example we lost on that day in 2005. I will miss my friend, but, I am hopeful, only for a little while."