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Press Release

Comment by LULAC President Hector Flores On the Passing of Pope John Paul II

April 4, 2005

Dallas, TX - It is with great sadness that we say our final farewells to Pope John Paul II.  For many in the Hispanic community, Pope John Paul II was a "pope of the people."

Pope John Paul led his life with dignity and stood up for those who could not stand up for themselves – especially for children and the poor.  He also reached out to people from other religions and the leaders of nations like Cuba and China because he understood that we are all one family and understanding can bring humanity closer together. 

He symbolized peace and understood the trials that people face when they try to make it a reality.  Through his efforts in Poland during the Cold War to end authoritarian rule and restore democracy to his country so that fear would be forever be removed from the hearts of its people, the Pope made us all see that not every fight is violent.   

For Latinos the Pope has long held a very special place.  John Paul was the first pope to reach out to people in Latin America, the fastest-growing Catholic community in the world. Not only was he the first pontiff to visit Mexico, he canonized Juan Diego, who received the roses from La Virgen de Guadalupe.  The Pope’s recognition of Juan Diego was viewed by many in the Latino community as a validation of the Mexico's reverence for Our Lady of Guadalupe despite many critics in and out of the church who continued to demand proof of her apparition to Juan Diego.  

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States.  LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs run by more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.

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