How Many Divisions Does the Pope Have?

I will not mourn the Pope, and I have good reasons for it. He was one of the greatest men of the 20th Century. He helped end communism and apartheid. He was a voice for reason in a mad world. He connected with people in a mystical way that crossed divisions of race and culture. He apologized for past failings of the Roman Catholic Church, many of which were heinous and unconscionable. He was an infantryman for peace and freedom. He took three bullets from the enemy and returned to duty, (which is more than we can say for John Kerry). He continued to advance the cause in an armored car. Here is a man who walked the walk and talked the talk. He had the vision to see a better world and the will and talent to work toward it.

I'm not Catholic. I don't think all of their doctrine holds with canonical source. But the greatness of this Pope has nothing to do with his doctrine. It is what he did with his power and celebrity. It was never about him, it was always about the rest of us. He understood the power of freedom and he humbly unleashed the forces that allowed the number of representative democracies to multiply several fold in the past 25 years.

I was deeply saddened when the Princess of Wales was killed in a highly suspicious accident. She had the same sort of focus in her celebrity, a selfless caring for others. But she also had a lot of life ahead of her and she had a frailty that drew us to her. The Pope had no frailty and he lived the fullest life a man of the Catholic cloth can live. (Don't get me started on that celibacy thing) I find it easy to mourn a death that robs us of potential. But I will not mourn the Pope.

I pray that his suffering will be minimal, his passing will be easy and that his entry into the next life may be perfected by the instruction and company of prophets and saints of old. It makes no difference whether you believe in an afterlife or not. Why should one mourn a life well lived?

Stalin once asked, "How many divisions does the Pope have?"

Tears of joy fill my eyes as I write. His given name was Karol Wojtyla. Then he was called John Paul II. But at the end, this Pope's name was Legion. He had divisions beyond Stalin's wildest dreams. And even in death, he will keep the loyalty of his divisions. His potential was lived to it's fullest.

One other great thing about this Pope. He had that same self-deprecating sense of humor that Ronald Reagan wielded so effectively. And if he thought about it, his epitaph would read "How many divisions does Stalin have now?"

Stalingrad is now called Volgograd, The Warsaw Pact is dissolved, Poland is in NATO and Stalin is burning in hell. A Hoo-Hah for the Pope

Diana Spencer is hosting cigars and brandy next Friday night. Ghandi and Martin Luther King are going to be there. Go take your place.