Monday evening - three years later - she skipped a college class to attend the first Mass celebrated in the Diocese of St. Petersburg in honor of the pope.

``This was more important,'' said Colon, 21.

About 1,000 worshippers attended the Mass at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini church in Spring Hill. The church was selected because it is largest Catholic church north of Tampa.

Colon, of Spring Hill, was on a trip with church choirs when she saw the pope. When she heard of his death Saturday, she played one of his favorite hymns. It was one the choir sang in Polish for the pope.

Rosemarie Maiorini, 30, also met the pope. She and her husband were among 17 people who received Holy Communion from him on April 17, 2003.

``It was a life-changing moment, powerful and amazing,'' she said.

Bishop Robert Lynch presided over the Mass, telling the congregation the pope was a man of ``incredible holiness'' who prayed during any spare moment, an opponent of oppression and a compassionate champion for the poor.

``Don't mourn his passing so much as thank God for his presence for 27 years,'' Lynch said.

``We can wipe the tears from our faces. This just man has now found the Father's embrace,'' the bishop said.

Lynch had a personal relationship with the pope. He helped organize four papal visits to the United States. In all, he met with the pope on at least 30 occasions.

The bishop, who returned early Monday from a trip to Indonesia and southern India to visit areas hit by the tsunami, shared some of his impressions of John Paul at a press conference prior to the Mass.

``He was a deeply spiritual man who would get lost and locked in prayer,'' Lynch recalled. ``And he was strong. If you needed something, he was not afraid to say no. And he was also quite generous with saying yes.''

He got to see a humorous side of the pope. In his first visit to Rome after being appointed bishop, Lynch, who had packed on 30 pounds since his installation, met with the pope.

``Is the Diocese of St. Petersburg growing larger?'' the pope asked.

``Yes, we're gaining about 50,000 people every three years,'' Lynch replied.

``Hmm,'' the pope said, surveying Lynch's expanded girth. ``So is the bishop.''

He will always remember this pope for his compassion for the poor and the suffering. John Paul had a ``built-in radar for wheelchairs and babies,'' moving in and out of the crowds to embrace the most vulnerable in the audience.

Although the pope was feeble and his death no surprise, Lynch still was deeply saddened by the news, which he heard in the Paris airport en route to Tampa. The bishop wanted to be home so he could help the diocese's nearly 400,000 Catholics through the grieving process.

``I feel like I've lost a grandfather,'' he said. ``A great moral voice in this world has been stilled.''

Reporter Neil Johnson can be reached at (352) 544-5214. Reporter Michelle Bearden can be reached at (813) 259-7613.