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    Following is the transcript (English portion) of a media stand-up by the Acting Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, on the death of Pope John Paul II this morning (April 3) at Wah Yan College, Hong Kong:

    To me as a Catholic, sharing the same vision as all Catholics on earth, it's an enormous grief in the death of our Pope John Paul II. And that sadness is compounded by the fact that one of our believer teachers in Wah Yan (College) Father Bernard Joseph Shields also passed away early this morning.

    Pope John Paul spent his whole life spreading the God's words, defending the faith and high standard of morals, defending freedom, human rights as well as sympathising with the poor and the disadvantaged to the last breath of his life. He is indeed I think the role model for all of us. The saddest of all is that his unparallel intellect captured in the weakening body for the past 10 years must have been an enormous frustration and pain for him. He is forever my Holy Father. I will remember his laughter and his holiness. Thank you very much.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Sunday, April 3, 2005

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