Pope John Paul II was a man who was never ashamed to show the world his fragility, said Bishop of Bridgetown, Malcolm Galt.

The bishop was chief celebrant and homilist at an April 4 Mass held at St Patrick's Cathedral, Bridgetown , one of three masses celebrated that day for the repose of the Holy Father's soul.

Visiting Bishop of Georgetown, Francis Alleyne, Bishop Emeritus, Anthony Dickson, and eight priests concelebrated. Just over 500 persons attended that Mass.

In his homily, Bishop Galt shared his past experiences with the Holy Father as a “young, athletic pope”, then during his more difficult latter years.

The bishop was in Ireland for the pope's 1979 visit, a few months after his election. He recalled an image of the pope perhaps long forgotten; that of his alighting from the plane, kneeling and kissing the ground, then “standing upright, with the agility of an athlete in top form,” he recalled.

Owing to tensions in Ireland at the time, airport security was particularly tight around the 59 year-old pontiff. However, Bishop Galt remembered the Holy Father “gently pushing aside one of the security officers to kiss a baby nestled in its mother's arms.”

During that same visit, an open air mass with young people was planned in Dublin. Thousands of them converged on the site, many having hiked from their towns and camped overnight.

At the Mass, the pope opened his address with the words, “Young people of Ireland , Pope John Paul II loves you!” Loud applause burst out, continuing for several minutes. After a while, the master of ceremonies signed to the crowd that it was enough. But the Holy Father simply said, “They did not sleep last night, but they are young and they have a lot of energy!”

The faithful dutifully lit votive lights before this image of Pope John Paul II at the foot of the altar at St Patrick's Cathedral. Other observances were held in various parishes during the week.

Bishop Galt then spoke of meeting an aged pope in 2002, whose health had deteriorated greatly, but who continued his ministry “with determination”.

The bishop was making an ad limina visit with the Antilles Episcopal Conference. This is an obligatory visit to the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul, made by bishops once every five years. During that visit, he had lunch with the pope and five other bishops.

The table conversation was light, he said, but the Holy Father's frailty was apparent. During that visit, Bishop Galt also concelebrated with the pope at a Mass in his private chapel, and will always treasure “those precious moments” of a brief face-to-face meeting with the Holy Father, he said.

“Precious moments,” he mused, “because I really felt that I was in the presence of someone very near to God.”

As his health continued to fail, the Holy Father went from using a walking stick, to being pushed standing up on a low trolley, then, finally, in a wheelchair.

Many called for him to give up his duties. He didn't, noted Bishop Galt, for, “he was never embarrassed or ashamed to show the world his fragility.”

He called on the faithful to “give thanks to God for his life and 26 years serving our Church as a true shepherd.”

Another evening Mass was celebrated on the day of the pope's funeral, which more than 400 persons attended. An ecumenical service was also held during the week, which Barbados Prime Minister, Owen Arthur, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of Christian and other faiths attended.

During that service, at Cathedral Administrator, Fr Harcourt Blackett's urging, the Prime Minister agreed to have flags on government buildings flown at half mast on the day before and on the day of the pope's funeral.