Pope steps back into his past

The Pope slept in his old bed, visited his old street and drove by the disused salt quarry where he worked during the Nazi occupation, recalling the wooden shoes that a future Pope wore to work.

Pope John Paul II’s second day in Poland today was deeply nostalgic, showing that a return home is unlike any other pilgrimage for the ailing 82-year-old.

"I wish to say that many of my personal memories are connected with this place," John Paul said at the end of Mass in just-completed Basilica of God’s Mercy, across a field from the Solvay chemical plant and quarry and now surrounded by supermarkets and a multiscreen movie complex.

"Until this day I remember this road that led from Borek Falecki to Debniki. Every day I walked this road coming to work for different shifts in wooden shoes that one used to wear in those days.

"How could one imagine that this man in wooden shoes would one day be consecrating” a basilica in Krakow, said John Paul, who worked at Solvay in the 1940s to escape deportation to labour camps in Germany.

Later, his popemobile stopped in front of the grey two-storey building on No. 10 Tyniecka Street where he lived with his father after they moved from Wadowice, the Pope’s birthplace, in 1938. A seven-year-old boy who lives there now came out and gave John Paul flowers.

Tens of thousands of adoring Poles are giving John Paul a joyous welcome home, his ninth trip back, and some fear his last.

They lined the 12-kilometre (seven-mile) route and shouted "Long live the Pope!" as he arrived to consecrate the new basilica.

Some 4,000 faithful clapped in rhythm as if to propel the frail, Pope as he made his way down the main aisle on a rolling platform. Nuns waved white handkerchiefs and tiny Vatican flags.

John Paul appeared breathless as he lowered himself into the papal chair by the marble altar.

"You can see he got a bit tired during the ceremony but I believe this pilgrimage will be good to him and he will continue his mission," said Polish-born Jan Kolata, 54, a machinery company supervisor from Chicago standing outside the basilica holding an American flag.

Poles hoped the visit to his homeland would invigorate John Paul, who suffers the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease - trembling hands and slurred speech - and knee and hip problems.

Consecrating the basilica, John Paul referred to evil in the world, making what appeared to be references to the September 11 terror attacks and their aftermath.

"Where hatred and the thirst for revenge dominate, where war brings suffering and death to the innocent, there the grace of mercy is needed," the Pope said, his voice faltering.

During the four-day trip, John Paul is staying at the archbishop’s residence in central Krakow. Polish church officials said John Paul is sleeping in the same bed he used when he was archbishop, until his election as the church’s first Polish pope in 1978.

John Paul is clearly overjoyed by the warmth of the reception. He is held in enormous esteem, both as the first Polish pope and as the man who encouraged their opposition to Poland’s communist regime.

The visit, limited by frailties, centres on the Krakow region, where the young Karol Wojtyla nurtured his faith, was ordained and rose to become archbishop.

More than 4 million pilgrims were expected to attend the Pope’s visit; about 2.5 million were expected at an open-air Mass tomorrow.

"Despite his illness, he has not closed himself behind the doors of the Vatican. This is a great example," said Maria Panczuk, 42.

Poland has not been immune to the sex abuse scandals that have shaken the Roman Catholic Church. Earlier this year, the archbishop of Poznan, a former member of John Paul’s inner circle at the Vatican, was forced to resign followed allegations he abused seminarians.

Responding to reports the Vatican had decided to reject at least portions of a US proposal to stamp out sex abuse among the clergy, a spokesman Saturday said the document was still being studied.

"No decision has been taken yet, because the document is still being evaluated," said Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls, who is travelling with the Pope.

"We hope to be able to communicate soon to the (US) bishops the answer to their requests."

Vatican canon law experts as well as officials from three Vatican congregations are involved in studying the guidelines, which include a policy to keep priests who molest children away from parishioners.

Some at the Vatican are said to be worried that innocent priests could be removed by overly zealous bishops.