Mehmet Ali Agca, Pope John Paul II's Would-be Assassin, To Be Released Soon

[Ave Maria]

Mehmet Ali Agca, the guy who attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981, is expected to be released from prison soon. Here are a few articles I found about Mehmet Ali Agca and this news:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060109/ap_on_re_eu/vatican_pope_gunman_3

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4593600.stm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Ali_A%C4%9Fca

 

[artjack]

the pope forgave him before he died I think this is a good leson to us all,

 

[StevenMerten]

the pope forgave him before he died I think this is a good leson to us all,

Hello artjack,

I thought it was three days after the attempted assassination that Pope John Paul II forgave his assalant. I read on one of the links that it was two years after the attempted assassination.

I have a funny story about when the Pope forgave Mehmet Ali Agca in prison. After I heard about the Pope forgiving Mehmet in prison, I asked my freind why the Pope did not meet him and forgive him at the Vatican or at a resteraunt. My friend exclaimed, "He forgave him. He didn't let him out of prison." LOL on my innocent misunderstanding.

I think that in America, though we may fail, our court system does desire the same outcome as Pope John Paul II wished for Mehmet. Our court system is designed to protect that sentences are not, or should not be based on grudges or vindictiveness, but only on the protection of society. The Pope was right to forgiving the man without demanding his release from his sentence (19 years spent in Italian prison), which would have put the Italian comunity at great risk. Pope John Paul II gave us a good reminder of why we punish criminals.

Peace in Christ,
Steven Merten

 

[Lisa0315]

I was just reading about this. Apparently, he has been released and has gone missing!


http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060113183709990022&ncid=NWS00010000000001

 

[Ave Maria]

I was just reading about this. Apparently, he has been released and has gone missing!


http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060113183709990022&ncid=NWS00010000000001

Eh all well. I don't really care as long as he behaves himself and does not break the law any longer. I just hope that God forgives him.