The coverage of John Paul II’s life has been mostly positive. I cringe, however, when I hear he was too rigid in his beliefs concerning abortion, contraception and homosexuality, to name a few.
What did you expect? He was the pope, and he was preaching from the Gospels. He wasn’t running for elective office. He didn’t take polls to see what’s popular.
I am a Catholic and I didn’t always agree with him, but I loved and respected him. He fought his entire life for human freedom and dignity. He defied the Nazis and the communists. He was instrumental in the fall of communism. He traveled the world always pushing for the rights of the weak and the poor.
If all of us would devote 1 percent of the effort he gave helping our fellow human beings and speaking out when we hear or see a wrong perpetuated on another, this world would be a better place.
He wasn’t perfect; he was a man, a man we probably won’t see the likes of any time soon.
