Rest in Peace, Pope St. John Paul the Great

Time will tell whether both of the predictions I just made will come true.

He died as he lived, a great man on a great mission.

So fitting that he died after hearing the vigil Mass for a feast (Divine Mercy) that he initiated. So fitting that he died in solidarity with Terri Schiavo, just as Christ died in solidarity with St. Dismas the Good Thief (and the rest of humanity).

He was the first Pope in centuries to live in the fullness of his role - the Vicar of Christ on earth and shepherd for all of Christianity, regardless whether all Christians acknowledged it or not. He managed to reach out to all religions in love without compromising or watering down the Christian faith, even when those he was reaching out to were other Christians. May his successors continue this until we Christians are once again united as Christ intended as one faith and one Church in unity and love.

He loved the world but did not retreat from telling the truth to the world, never concerned with being "relevant" or "popular" because the truth often hurts.


I respected this man as Pope long before I became a Catholic. During my lifetime, he has been the only major leader of any religion who both lived what he taught and also taught something that made sense, and I respected that even in the time when I rejected Christianity. I doubt I would be a Christian today if not for his example.