In memoriam: Pope John Paul most notable among 2005 deaths

Published: 2005-12-09

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II was the most notable religious figure to die in 2005. The first Polish pope, who had a significant impact on the secular world as well as a profound influence on the entire religious world in his 26-year pontificate, died April 2 at the age of 84, of multiple complications from a flu. Other notable Catholics who died in 2005 included: Portuguese Carmelite Sister Lucia dos Santos, 97, the last of the three children who saw visions of Mary at Fatima in 1917; Prince Rainier III of Monaco, 81, the world's longest-reigning monarch, whose 1956 marriage to U.S. actress Grace Kelly drew world attention; Abbot M. Basil Pennington, 73, an American Trappist monk renowned worldwide for his ministry and books on centering prayer; retired Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila, 76, described as one of the most powerful figures in the history of the church in Asia because of his leadership of nonviolent popular movements that ousted corrupt Philippine presidents in 1986 and 2000; and Monika Hellwig, 75, an internationally renowned theologian and prolific author who taught at Georgetown University for more than 30 years and led the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities through the difficult years of implementing, in the American context, new global Vatican norms for Catholic higher education.

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