We are asked to write about our memories of Pope John Paul II. There are so many memories of him for which we have much gratitude - his ready welcome, his teachings through his weekly addresses and Encyclicals, especially Familiaris Consortio, Evangelium Vitae, Veritatus Splendor, always repeating the moral position we grew up believing and adhering to, all crystallized in his mandate to teach with truth and love. We met him on many occasions. His encouragement to teach NFP in the context of married love, given to us personally, was followed by the delighfful statement: "I know you do!"
Early in his pontificate, when he was very energetic in travelling, and coping with the threats to his beloved Poland by the Communist forces of Russian tanks encircling its boundaries, we visited that country and experienced the loyalty to him of the people there. The Solidarity movement was active and most people wore a picture of Our Lady of Chestahava on their lapels. Upon leaving Poland we went on to Rome where Kevin Hume, John and I again met Pope John Paul II who smiled in recognition of our sympathy with Polish people as he saw our badges of Solidarity.
Two years later, we were invited to be auditors at the Synod of Bishops to consider The Role of the Family in the Modern World. It was the first time lay people had taken part in a Synod and it expressed the Pope's desire to involve the lay Church and married people in matters ofthe family. His addresses to the Synod were truly inspiring and he listened to the presentations of families from around the world, including a slide presentation by John on the BOM. Mother Teresa's speech included a plea for more "good priests". On this occasion, several members were invited to attend early morning mass and breakfast with the Holy Father. Breakfast was served by two Polish sisters and was an authentic Polish menu.
It was an awe-inspiring moment for us, when, in the course of conversation, having asked the opinions of couples from the different countries represented, he spread wide his arms and said: "I have a wider vision of the Church - to include all people!" and then fell silent. It was a moment of inspiration, echoing the Gospel words: "They shall be one" (John 17:21).
We saw him for a few brief moments over the following years as we attended BOM Conferences in Rome, to which he always granted an audience. It was with sorrow that we witnessed his failing health, always consoled by his clarity of mind.
In Poland we had visited the church in Krakow where he had spent so much time, praying and writing, not knowing, but indeed truly preparing himself for a great pontificate. We can be sure of even greater support for those whose primary aim is, through truth, to give all people the happiness of fidelity - to each other, to God and to every human individual planned destiny. That was his wish. This we can do by teaching authentic natural family planning such as the BOM.
Pope John Paul II, in Nuovo Millennio Inuente, quoted Luke 5:4 "Put out into the deep for a great catch." It has seemed to us for some time that now we have the means of teaching NFP with truth and love, as the encyclical Evangelium Vitae directs, we should put out our nets into deep waters, where there are many confused and erring people, unknowing and unhappy. After all, the Natural Law is inherent in true NFP, and therefore it is for everybody, whatever their circumstances or their starting point. We must not be selective or exclusive of those we teach, but teach everybody - teaching them how to teach with love. This is the inspiration of John Paul II. We owe this fidelity to this teaching.