Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II

The biopic Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II (ABC, December 1, 2005) explains in biographical form the life story of the late head of the Roman Catholic church, Pope John Paul II.

Plot

The plot of the film begins with the pope's visit to Jerusalem, a stop on his 91st trip abroad, which occurred between 20 March and 26 March 2000.

At the Western Wall, he asked God to forgive the sins of the church, before retreating alone to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

In flashbacks to an early age, he lost his mother and his brother Edmund. Later, he lived through the Nazi occupation of his homeland, Poland during World War II and post war Communism. Through all these hardships, he maintained his love for Jesus of Nazareth and the virgin Mary.

He became an ordained priest, and eventually Krakow's archbishop, where he began his fight against Communism and its oppression. On October 16, 1978, Karol Wojtyla became the 264th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, and now called himself John Paul II.

The "Polish Pope" himself made history with the third longest papacy ever. He made his triumphant papal return to Poland in June, 1979, confronted liberation theology, survived the assassination attempt on himself in 1981 by Mehmet Ali Agca (who he later forgave in 1983) and used his influence to help bring both Communist and Right-Wing Totalitarian regimes, such as Alfredo Stroessner's dictatorship in Paraguay, to their knees. Afterwards, he expressed distress over materialism and unprincipled capitalism in his native Poland and denounced the sexual abuse of children that was brought to his attention in 2002, saying that "every sin can be forgiven, but by God, not by me".

On 2 April 2005, Pope John Paul II died.

Background

The ABC film treated the topic of Catholicism differently from some expectations. The film made no attempt to focus on the Holy Scriptures, but rather focused on the devotion of John Paul II to his faith.

Production took place in Lithuania and partly in Rome. Because Benedict XVI had already given Vatican filming rights to CBS for its portrayal of the life of Pope John Paul II, production for the film scenes which play in the Vatican were done on sets.

External links

Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II at the Internet Movie Database

Pope Saint John Paul II
Born Karol Józef Wojtyła, 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005 Pope (1978–2005) Archbishop of Kraków (1963–1978)
Timeline Emilia Wojtyła (mother) Karol Wojtyła (father) Early life Papal conclave Assassination attempt Funeral dignitaries Beatification and Canonisation Acts as Pope Apologies Cardinals created People venerated People beatified Saints canonized Papal mediation in the Beagle conflict Pastoral visits Ireland Nicaragua United Kingdom World Day of the Sick World Youth Day Relations Eastern Orthodox Church Judaism Other topics Abbà Pater Criticism Family home (historic house) Health John Paul II Foundation Monuments Tiara
Bibliography Teachings Apostolic constitutions Sacrae Disciplinae Leges Pastor Bonus Ex Corde Ecclesiae Fidei depositum Universi Dominici gregis Apostolic exhortations Catechesi tradendae Familiaris consortio Reconciliatio et paenitentia Christifideles laici Redemptoris custos Pastores dabo vobis Ecclesia in America Ecclesia in Asia Ecclesiastical letters Dominicae Cenae Ordinatio Sacerdotalis Letter to Women Ad tuendam fidem Novo Millennio Ineunte Misericordia Dei Rosarium Virginis Mariae Mulieris dignitatem Encyclicals Redemptor hominis Dives in misericordia Laborem exercens Slavorum Apostoli Dominum et vivificantem Redemptoris Mater Sollicitudo rei socialis Redemptoris Missio Centesimus annus Veritatis splendor Evangelium vitae Ut Unum Sint Fides et Ratio Ecclesia de Eucharistia Books Love and Responsibility Crossing the Threshold of Hope Memory and Identity Other writings The Jeweler's Shop Theology of the Body "Roman Triptych" Testament Documents endorsed Catechism of the Catholic Church Quattuor Abhinc Annos We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah Dominus Iesus Related Papal Concert to Commemorate the Shoah Political views Scriptural Way of the Cross   Eponymous places In popular culture High schools (United States) East Boca Raton, FL Tallahassee, FL Jasper, IN Slidell, LA Hyannis, MA Royersford, PA Hendersonville, TN Corpus Christi, TX Plano, TX Schertz, TX Dumfries, VA Lacey, WA Other high schools London, Canada Toronto, Canada Greymouth, New Zealand Rotorua, New Zealand Tarnów, Poland Brasília, Brazil Colleges Universities John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin John Paul II Institute John Paul II Minor Seminary John Paul the Great Catholic University Pontifical University of John Paul II Pope John Paul II College of Education Airports Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport João Paulo II Airport John Paul II International Airport Kraków–Balice Bridges El Puente del Papa John Paul II Bridge, Puławy Juan Pablo II Bridge Third Millennium John Paul II Bridge Other places Saint John Paul II National Shrine Ioannes Paulus II Peninsula John Paul II Catholic School John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization John Paul II Foundation for Research and Treatment Museum of John Paul II and Primate Wyszyński Museum of John Paul II Collection Pope John Paul II Park Reservation Films Pope John Paul II The Papal Chase Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II The Pope's Toilet Nine Days that Changed the World TV miniseries Pope John Paul II Karol: A Man Who Became Pope Karol: The Pope, The Man In Search of the Pope's Children Other media The Planet Is Alive...Let it Live! Red Rabbit The Pope's Children Credo: John Paul II
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