Local Catholics pray for John Paul’s recovery

Monday, Feb. 28, 2005 | 9:01 a.m.

Half a world away from where Pope John Paul II made a two-minute appearance at his hospital window Sunday, Las Vegas Roman Catholics flocked to church and met in groups praying for the pontiff's recovery.

The 84-year-old pope, stricken by a relapse of the flu, underwent a tracheotomy on Thursday because of severe difficulty in breathing.

"We just hope and pray," said Lenora Leibold as she walked out of St. Anne's Catholic Church on Maryland Parkway and St. Louis Avenue with her husband, Phil.

"We're praying for our pope," Lenora Leibold said. The 40-year Las Vegas resident noted, "He's frail, he's elderly."

Brisset Lara, sitting on the steps of the church, shook her head in disbelief.

"I just knew he was sick, but I didn't know he was very sick," Lara said.

The church was packed with more than 700 people for the 2 p.m. Mass said for the pontiff.

"He's probably been the most spiritual priest we've had," Vivian Egle said, swaying a bit on her footed cane. "He opened up the eyes of the church. He brought it to the people. He went all over the world."

Asked if the pope should step aside and allow another to ascend to head the Vatican and the church, Egle disagreed.

"That's not the way," Egle said. "He's so gifted and spiritually beautiful."

A Franciscan lay group met in an adjoining building at the church, watching hundreds of people coming and going to the church.

"That's all we've been doing all day is praying for the pope," Nancy Jaras said.

"When the pope is ready to go, he'll be faxed right up to heaven. He's our rock."

The Franciscans, followers in the humble tradition of St. Francis of Assisi, meet on the last Sunday of the month at St. Anne's, said Frank Laverty, lay Franciscan minister. They also pray three times a day.

"So we pray for the pope all the time," Laverty said.

The Rev. Francis Timoney, St. Anne's pastor, said that he has heard people's concern for the pontiff.

"We have a universal concern about the pope," Timoney said. "He's so frail, suffering like that. They love him dearly. They think he should rest."

Timoney said that John Paul wants to make the controversial Pope Pious XII a saint. Critics of Pious XII say that he did not act soon enough in World War II to prevent millions of Jews and others killed by the Nazis.

Pious has a connection to Southern Nevada, Timoney said.

When he was still Cardinal Pacelli, the pope-in-waiting stayed overnight at the Boulder Dam Hotel in 1936 with an ecumenical group traveling through the Southwest.

Sunday was the third pre-Easter week of Lent, a time when Catholics reflect on Jesus Christ's suffering.

Timoney recited the parable of the Samaritan woman at the well who meets Jesus seeking a drink of water. The Samaritan woman expected Christ to treat her like dirt, but he speaks to her with respect and interest.

Franciscan member Grace Marie Hunter said her father was like the Samaritan woman, an agnostic.

"But he loved the pope," Hunter said.