Recent Articles | About Authors | About the Syndicate | Archives

To receive a plain text copy of this article by email, see info at the bottom of this page.

Real Answers™
dl136
Copyright: © 2008 Donald E. Lindman
530 words

JOHN PAUL II:  AMAZING RELIGIOUS LEADER

By: Don Lindman

He was Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, and Sovereign of Vatican City.  TIME magazine’s Man of the Year, he was referred to by some as the most influential person of the 20th century. 

He was Karol Wojtyla, better known as Pope John Paul II.  A compromise selection, chosen in the eighth round of voting, he ended up having the second longest reign in papal history.

Wojtyla was a great example of faith in action.  He was Polish, a nationality known for being the butt of too many jokes and on the losing side of too many wars, but Wojtyla was anything but a joke or a loser.  He survived the closing of his theological seminary by the Nazis in the early 1940’s, and worked in a quarry and then in a chemical plant until he was able to join an underground theological school and continue his education. 

He opposed the Nazis and then the communists in their authoritarian rule over his native Poland, but managed to survive while maintaining his moral and spiritual integrity.  As pope he was true to the traditional faith despite mounting pressure to go easy on abortion and to open the priesthood to women. 

But he also was the first owner of the “Popemobile,” one of the cultural symbols of the 20th century.  He was the only pope to be made an honorary Harlem Globetrotter, joining the company of such disparate public figures as Nelson Mandela, Bob Hope, Henry Kissinger, and Whoopi Goldberg. 

He also was the only pope to be the leading character in a comic book and in an animated feature film.  The “pop culture” associations didn’t seem to bother him.

John Paul II was an accomplished poet, earned two doctorates, traveled more than any pope in history, and designated more people saints than any of his predecessors. 

During his travels he started the tradition of youth congresses and has been called The Young People’s Pope.  But then, what would you expect of a religious leader who has his own Marvel comic book, animated feature film, and “Popemobile”?

Like professional sports, the Vatican requires a person be out of the game for at least five years before being eligible for the Hall of Fame.  John Paul II was officially designated saint himself in what was close to record time: just five years, one and one-half months after his death. 

Like all public figures who take leadership seriously, he lived through his share of criticism.  Yet he serves as an excellent role model for all Christians who try to take their faith seriously.

Remaining true to what he believed to be “the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3),” John Paul II was able to relate to modern culture in a way few high-ranking religious leaders ever have done.  He took evil seriously, but lived life with joy and verve. He filled the highest religious office in the world with dignity, while loving people and loving to be with them.

"Real Answers™" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com

Request this article:
To instantly receive a plain text copy of this article by email, enter your publication title, city and state, and email address, then retype the article number (shown in bold below). Then click the "Send It" button once.
Fields marked (*) are required

back to top