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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