Basin, world mourns Pope's passing

Pontiff remembered as a fearless, humble man of God

MOSES LAKE — The city's Catholic leaders remembered Pope John Paul II as a charismatic, humble leader who opened his church to the world, and who managed to make people feel like he was close to them.

Father John Morse from Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church praised the pope, who died Saturday at the age of 84, for his efforts to build bonds of friendship and cooperation.

The trademark of John Paul II's 25-year-reign was a countless number of trips throughout the world. He was not the first Pope to travel abroad, but he was the first to do it so broadly. He became the first to visit Russia, Cuba, the White House, a Lutheran Church, a synagogue, a mosque and the concentration camp of Auschwitz.

"He recognized goodness and confronted evils whenever and wherever he encountered them," Morse said.

One of the places he visited most frequently was Mexico, where he went almost half a dozen times. In Moses Lake, Mexicans and other Hispanics came to church in higher numbers than usual this weekend to pray for the pope, said Fr. Alejandro Trejo, the Hispanic priest at Our Lady Of Fatima.

"They miss the pope, they miss how he identified he was with us," he said. "They never felt him far away, they always felt like he was close to them."

Morse said the pontiff was empowered by his faith, "uncompromising in every undertaking.

"He was fearless and courageous and inspired this in those he challenged to action," he added.

Trejo agreed, saying it would be very difficult to find a Pope like John Paul II.

"He showed strength and humility," he said. "You could see he was a man of God."

The actions of the Polish-born pope were vital in bringing about the demise of communism and the rebirth of democracy in his home country, Morse said.

A Memorial Mass has been scheduled for tonight at 6 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. A Memorial Mass will also be celebrated at 7 p.m. tonight at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Ephrata.