IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 190 
Honoring the life and achievements of His Holiness Pope John Paul II 
and expressing profound sorrow on his death. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 6, 2005 
Mr. HYDE submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to 
RESOLUTION 
Honoring the life and achievements of His Holiness Pope 
John Paul II and expressing profound sorrow on his death. 
Whereas His Holiness Pope John Paul II was born Karol 
Jozef Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland, on May 18, 1920, 
and on October 16, 1978, was elected the 264th Pope of 
the Catholic Church, making history by becoming the 
first Pope from Poland and the first non-Italian Pope in 
more than 400 years; 
Whereas Pope John Paul II dedicated his long life to the 
peace and well-being of mankind; 
Whereas Pope John Paul II risked his own life by defying the 
Nazi forces which occupied Poland during World War II 
and protecting its Jewish population, while trying to in-
spire faith in the oppressed; 
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Whereas Pope John Paul II returned to his native Poland in 
June 1979, unleashing a patriotic and religious force that 
would ultimately lead to the peaceful toppling of the 
Communist regime in Poland; 
Whereas Pope John Paul II was a unique, substantial, and 
historic catalyst in the demise of Soviet communism and 
the emancipation of hundreds of millions of people from 
totalitarian rule; 
Whereas Pope John Paul II used public and private diplo-
macy and the power of moral suasion to encourage world 
leaders to respect the inalienable rights of the human 
person; 
Whereas Pope John Paul II articulated the importance of in-
dividual liberty being undergirded by a ‘‘moral order’’, 
embraced the poor and oppressed masses of the world, 
and encouraged governments and the faithful to attend 
to the needs of those who are less fortunate; 
Whereas Pope John Paul II ministered to Catholic and non- 
Catholic alike, providing a personal example of grace, en-
durance, compassion, courage, sacrifice, and foresight; 
Whereas Pope John Paul II was an articulate and outspoken 
advocate for religious freedom and Christian humanism, 
asserting that the Catholic Church could not claim reli-
gious liberty for itself unless it was willing to concede it 
to others; 
Whereas Pope John Paul II sought to heal divisions between 
the Catholic Church and other Christian faiths, express-
ing sadness and regret for the acts of individual past and 
present Catholics who persecuted others on account of 
their faith, and promoting reconciliation through dialogue 
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•HRES 190 ATH 
with Jews and Muslims and through visits to areas of 
historic conflict, including Ireland and the Holy Land; 
Whereas Pope John Paul II traveled more extensively than 
any other Pope, traversing nearly three-quarters of a mil-
lion miles, visiting more than 125 countries, being seen 
by more people than any person in human history, and 
ministering to more than six million people at once in the 
closing mass of World Youth Day 1995 in the Phil-
ippines; 
Whereas on January 8, 2001, the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, J. Dennis Hastert, presented Pope John 
Paul II with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest 
award that Congress can bestow upon any individual; 
Whereas in November 2003 the House of Representatives 
and the Senate unanimously agreed to House Concurrent 
Resolution 313, which called upon the President, on be-
half of the United States, to present the Presidential 
Medal of Freedom to Pope John Paul II; 
Whereas on June 4, 2004, President George W. Bush trav-
eled to the Vatican and presented Pope John Paul II 
with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civil-
ian award of the United States Government; 
Whereas, even as Pope John Paul II struggled to regain his 
physical strength after suffering failings in his physical 
condition in early 2005, he continued to minister to the 
faithful, while suffering with grace and in silence; and 
Whereas up until the moment of his death on April 2, 2005, 
Pope John Paul II remained faithful and principled, in-
spiring a continuing defense of the unique dignity of 
every human life: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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