"He carried the Gospel into all corners of the world, proclaiming the dignity of every human being, the rights of the poor, and the evils of war 'in season and out of season.' In brief, he was a most worthy successor of the humble fisherman of Galilee upon whom the Lord built his Church." - Cardinal Edward Egan, Archbishop of New York

"His leadership of the Catholic Church for more than a quarter of a century impacted the whole world; and the world now mourns the loss of this man of God whose spirit and devotion, even in the face of frail health, exemplified Jesus Christ’s own love for the Church." - Francis Cardinal George

"He has been a genuine man of the spirit, a true priest. His example and teaching have encouraged orthodox Catholics everywhere to persevere. I personally can vouch for that. He has inspired thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, into the priesthood and religious life.
"Even in the West he has steadied the ship. If many were still resolved to be irresolute, solid only for drift, there has been no doubt about where he is heading. He has never lacked courage and courage is contagious. History will know him as John Paul the Great. He has earned that distinction." - Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney

"The Church has lost a Father and a Shepherd and I have also lost a brother and a good friend." - Cardinal Jaime Sin, Archbishop emeritus of Manila

"It was with deep sadness that I received the news of Pope John Paul II's passing. It was also with gratitude to God for the gift of the Holy Father. He will surely be remembered as the greatest spiritual leader of our time. His entire life was an example of how to live out our faith, how to give witness to the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Father gave himself completely in service to Jesus and to the universal Church. In his final years, he suffered from many physical ailments but he never allowed those pains and problems to weigh down his spirit; his suffering was his final gift. He was an example to us all of the value of human life at every stage of existence." - Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia

"This was an extraordinary man. He was brilliant. If he had never become pope, Karol Wojtyla would have gone down, I think, as one of the major Catholic philosophers of the 20th century. ... I think that he was a strong leader, he was a brilliant guide, but more than anything else, I think, he was a man who loved people. And people understood that and people reacted to that." - Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Archbishop of Washington, D.C.

"The Pontiff was a "new John the Baptist" because like the original one he was "a voice who cried in the desert to prepare the ways of the Lord; he wiped hypocrisy and sin before our Risen Lord." - His Beatitude Gregorius III Laham, Patriarch of Antioch of the Greek Melkites

"Pope John Paul II embodied the greatest qualities of the Second Vatican Council: a deep fidelity to Jesus Christ and his Gospel; profound confidence and joy in the Catholic faith; an openness to the good in the world; fraternal love for other Christians and the Jewish people; and a respect for all persons of good will. He knew personal suffering throughout his life. He experienced the cost of war, genocide and political oppression firsthand. These things never dented his faith. They did the opposite. They led him more deeply into the heart of God." - Archbishop Charles Chaput, Archbishop of Denver

"He was a man of our time, yet not afraid to challenge the culture and values of our age. He gave it reasons for living and reasons for hope. He was also ahead of our time in his message of global solidarity, his vision of a civilization of love among all the people and nations of the world, in his respect for the human person and, to the very moment of his death, in his powerful witness to the Gospel of life. He was in every sense a witness to hope and a champion of life.
"The deep sense of peace and serenity which accompanied him into death, was of course, rooted in his life of frequent prayer and contemplation, particularly his prayer before the blessed sacrament. His deep and intimate relationship with Christ was the source of his great calm and courage in the face of so many challenges, not least the physical challenges of his later years. He often repeated the words of Jesus, 'Do not be afraid.'" -  Archbishop Sean Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and primate of All Ireland

"He took a very personal interest in the people bishops were representing... "  - Archbishop Francis Carroll

"This is a man who has carried the moral weight of the world for 26 years … turning himself into the only moral reference for humanity in recent years of wars and difficulties." - Cardinal Jaime Ortega, Archbishop of Havana

"In the office that Cardinal Wright was responsible for, one of the ‘board of directors,’ so to speak, was Cardinal Wojtyla from Krakow; that’s how we got to know the future John Paul the Second. When I was assigned to Pittsburgh and would go to Rome with some regularity for meetings, one of the hallmarks of meeting with him always was -- when he would see me, he would always say, ‘Pittsburgh!’ It had become synonymous with my name.” -- Bishop Donald Wuerl, Bishop of Pittsburgh

"In short, he was the most significant leader of our times. I'd say he was the man of the century, and at some time in the future, may he get another title, Pope John Paul the Great."  - Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, UK

"He had a presence that was larger than himself and I simply conclude that his will and the Lord's will were so close that the Lord could make his presence felt beyond the presence of the man.” - Bishop Eugene Gerber

"The Holy Father has given us a powerful and poignant example of how to live in the midst of personal suffering and diminishment. The pope is giving witness to the dignity and sanctity of human life, which he has championed his entire papacy."  - Bishop John F. Kinney

"He has been in our towns. He has driven in our streets. He has been with us and our people." — Bishop Joseph A. Galante

"Farewell to a great and beloved world wide spiritual leader. To witness to the truth is the fundamental mission of the Church ... the Holy Father courageously preached the Gospel of life emphasizing the sacredness of marriage and the importance of family. He defended each human life from conception to its natural end. My feeling at this moment is one of deep gratitude and lofty praise to the Lord. He worked marvels through this Pope from far off Poland. Certainly one of his regrets was not having had the chance to visit China. ... - Bishop Joseph Zen of Hong Kong

"Young and old alike have drawn inspiration from Pope John Paul. As a parish priest and young bishop, he understood the importance of the young as a source of vibrancy and renewal in the Church. He carried that understanding into his papacy by establishing and attending World Youth Day celebrations, which provoked a tremendous outpouring of enthusiasm among the young. The elderly and infirm have been inspired by his indefatigable perseverance as his own physical limitations mounted.
Pope John Paul's love for the Church did not diminish his respect for other religious traditions. With his outreach to the leaders of the world's religions, he underscored the role of religion in serving world peace." -  Bishop William S. Skylstad

"This remarkable man has been a consistent and credible champion of justice whose moral authority has been acknowledged by people of every nation and creed. As a man of peace he has called all people to respect the dignity of every human person as the only foundation for a new culture of life and civilization of love.
For the young he has been a charismatic religious leader who challenged them never to accept mediocrity and not to be afraid to be disciples of Jesus." - Bishop Paul S. Coakley

"We ask everyone to gather themselves in prayer so that the Pope, who from the beginning of his pontificate invited us to open the doors to Christ, may now receive the embrace of Him, the Lord of life, who he announced in such an indefatigable way to all men and in every corner of the Earth. Our prayer becomes also an expression of gratitude to God, for the extraordinary gift he made to the Church and the world through the person and teachings of John Paul II." - Italian Bishops' Conference