Rome, Italy, Apr 29, 2011 / 15:29 pm
Head of the Knights of Columbus Carl Anderson and the fraternal organization's chaplain Bishop William E. Lori lauded John Paul II's impact on the laity throughout the world during his pontificate.
In an interview with CNA in Rome, Anderson said that lay members from every place the late pontiff visited experienced a marked difference for the better.
“His visit to Mexico – huge change in Mexico. His visit to Cuba – huge change in Cuba. I think if you reflect carefully on every country where he visited, you have this kind of a legacy,” he said at the Knight's of Columbus headquarters in Rome on April 29.
“I think that the realization is growing as to the legacy for the laity. We all understand that he went to Poland, and changed Poland,” Anderson recalled. “He changed Poland because people were with him at that time had a sense of hope, had a sense of empowerment, had a sense of solidarity, that things could change, that they could make a difference, and I think that's the impact he had in every country he went to.”