The Next Pope

in the early morning on Saturday, the 2nd of April 2005 by Chad

Pope John Paul II was one of the “Big Three” during the 1980’s and 90’s, along with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. Those three people brought down Russian communism. That rare combination of personalities on the world stage was a freak occurance, but it came at the right time in history. So far, we do know that the Pope as unsuccessfully assassinated on Russian orders. He was a huge threat to communism since he grew up under it in Poland.
Oops, missed a few in the big three. From Llama Butchers…

As to the question of the Pope and the end of the Cold War, Carl Bernstein (yes, Carl Bernstein) has a biography of the Pope that came out a number of years back that makes this case in spades. Hugh cites the short list as follows:

With Reagan and Solzhenitsyn, John Paul II represents the three forces of opposition to communism that shattered the evil empire, the Soviet Union –the American-led West, the Eastern European resistance, and the Russian dissident movement.
I would agree only to the extent that you include Margaret Thatcher (whose rise to power preceded Reagan’s), Vaclev Havel, and the indispensable Lech Walessa to the list.

I would like to see a Chinese Pope next.

Since right now China is the biggest threat to world freedom. No, they’re not terrorists, which is what we are currently cleaning up around the world. They are the biggest totalitarian government. And they have been gobbling up other countries near them. And of course, now they have set their focus back on Taiwan in a big way. Hopefully it will turn out to be bluster, but you never know when you’re dealing with the neighborhood bully.

So a Pope from China would really annoy them. Especially since Chinese Catholics aren’t even allowed to be Catholic.

The Vatican said Saturday that Chinese authorities have carried out a new series of arrests of officials from that country’s non-government controlled Catholic Church.
The most recent arrest occurred Wednesday, when a priest was picked up in Hebei, the same diocese whose bishop was arrested Jan. 3.

The statement said security forces also detained the 86-year-old bishop of Wenzhou, Monsignor James Lin Xili, on March 20 and two days later a lay official of the diocese.

Rumour has it that the next Pope will be from Africa, or maybe Latin America. While those places can be a royal mess as well, I think we should go for maximum effect right now…
Captain’s Quarters got me thinking about this…