Twilight of a historic papacy

Twilight of a historic papacy

The Pope’s legacy is, in other words, a story of great strengths and considerable weaknesses. It would be incomplete, however, were one not to mention the warm, curious, friendly, and humorous human being underneath it all. Pope John Paul II is in many ways an intellectual; he may have been underrated in that regard. However, he is also a simple man, who connected without effort to others. He bore his suffering since the assassination attempt of 1981 with dignity. As a person, he never failed to impress his many visitors.

Even in his current reduced state due to his illness, Pope John Paul II symbolises human potential.

Well, that last line aside (not so much human potential as God-given grace), the article as a whole is a pretty balanced and well-written little piece on what John Paul II means to the world, from the perspective of a non-Catholic who acknowledges him and respects him for who he is and what he has done.