The Pope

I realized that in my last post the only time I mentioned the Pope was in a slightly negative context. I'd like to spell out a little better on how I feel about Pope John Paul II.

I really admire Pope John Paul II. He was the best Pope this century if not since the early times of the Catholic church. I admire that he was an incredibly smart man who was also intensely spiritual. I don't mean this in the pseudo spiritual way made popular by the modern culture but I mean it in the way that he was close to God. He knew how to win people over but didn't do so by telling them what they wanted to hear. He told them what they needed to hear. He wasn't afraid of confronting people and telling them they are wrong. At the same time he was a very understanding and accepting person. One of the things I most admire about him is that he reached out to so many people, especially people of other beliefs. To see leaders of so many religions at his funeral was a testament to how great a man he was. The best thing about Pope John Paul II was his unwavering support for the value of life and conservative values, even in the face of strong dissent from within the church.

Pope John Paul II brought so much back the the Catholic church that it was losing. He has left shoes that will be hard to fill.