We launch this new Web log as the world mourns the passing of John Paul II. We will be continually updating this blog to bring you the mentary and news from Acton staff and friends. In keeping with the institute’s ecumenical outlook, the blog will feature a rich lode of Catholic content on John Paul’s life and legacy, and views from other faith traditions.

As pilgrims head for Rome and the pontiff’s funeral, we will witness the spectacle of the famous and mighty paying their respects. But in all walks of life, all over the world, people will feel his absence as they feel the loss of a true friend or family member. “This death is a shock to me,” said Danuta Bialek, 50, a nurse mourning with tens of thousands in Lagiewniki, a sanctuary near Krakow. “He offered us enormous support and help, opening the world to us. I still cannot imagine the world without him.”

Nor can millions of others.