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National
Pueblo woman calls passing of pope 'a big shock'


New Mexico Natives like Claudine Sarracino of Laguna Pueblo are mourning the death of Pope John Paul II.

Sarracino, 54, said the pope was respected among Native Americans. �We look at the pope as a father figure," she told The Farmington Daily Times. "It�s a big shock that he�s gone.�

Pojoaque Lt. Gov. Linda Diaz said the pope reaffirmed her faith in the Catholic Church. Her son came out of a coma after suffering serious brain injuries in a car accident two years ago.

�John Paul II gives us so much strength,� Diaz told the paper. �He made us believe in ourselves. He let us know that there is a God who is going to take care of us.�

Get the Story:
American Indians mourn for pope privately (The Farmington Daily Times 4/6)

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