Pope John Paul II

I'm not Catholic, but my thoughts and prayers go out to Pope John Paul II, who's apparently in very grave condition.

The Pope was a lion in the battle with communism -- his contributions to help free Eastern Europe often go even more unnoticed than the efforts of Ronald Reagan. In fact, the recent unearthing of East German police records demonstrate conclusively that it was the KGB that masterminded the attempt on the Pope's life in 1981. As the Lord of Truth noted, that story deserves more attention.

Then again, it's not like the Communists were ever solicitous of any Pope -- Stalin, after FDR asked whether they should consult Pius XII on the fate of Europe following WWII, was heard to ask: "How many divisions does the Pope have?" If someone could track down Stalin in whatever circle of hell he currently resides, perhaps someone could let him know that the USSR went down for the count less than 50 years later, while the Catholic Church is still going strong.

From what I know, the Pope has also been dedicated to helping the destitute and the powerless. He has had his missteps -- for example, the Church's reaction to the pedophilia scandal has been far less than what I would have expected, although the Pontiff's health may have kept him from controlling those below him.

On the whole, a very good man may be leaving this Earth after a lifetime of service to his fellow man and to his God. We should all be thankful such men exist, and hope for the best.