Pontiff Well Liked by Non-Catholics

Positive attitudes about the pope also were found Saturday in Mid-Valley churches that are not Catholic. Those from other denominations felt strongly about the Catholic church leader’s accomplishments during his 28-year-reign as the first non-Italian pontiff in 455 years.

At the Maxwell Methodist Church, Sue Ash was saddened to hear of his death.

"It’s really too bad," said the pastor’s wife. "It doesn’t matter what nationality you are, the pope is somebody that everybody looks up to, no matter what."

Ash added that her husband, Pastor Lloyd Ash, would announce the news and offer a prayer in church services today.

Dr. Jasbir S. Kang, a member of the Sikh faith in Yuba City, said regardless of a person’s view of religion, Pope John Paul II was a prominent figure in the world.

"It doesn’t matter what religion we belong to … he was a very important person," Kang said. "Definitely we need a gentler and more peaceful world, and I think the pope did a good job in supporting that. He was definitely trying to bring peace."

Abdul Bath, a member of the Islamic Center of Yuba City, said Muslims viewed the pope as a "caring person for all faiths."

"I think he was a great person to humanity as whole – it’s a great loss to humanity," he said. "He worked outside those (Catholic) boundaries. He met everybody, all the faiths and all the leaders of faith."

Bath said he hopes the next pope selected will have the same qualities as Pope John Paul II.

"He was a peaceful man, especially with what’s going on in the world," Bath said. "There was nothing but peace in that man."