27 years ago, I remember watching on my 12" black and white TV as white smoke flowed from that rickety-looking chimney on the side of the Sistine chapel, signifying the election of Karol Wojtyla as the next leader of the Catholic Church. I believe my thoughts at the time ran something along the lines of, "what's all the fuss about?"
(In my defense, I have to point out that I was just a kid at the time!)
Now, more than 27 years later, the man who became Pope John Paul II has shuffled off his mortal coil, as it were. By all accounts, and based on my own personal observations, he was a charming, charismatic, intelligent, media-savvy man who new how to wow a crowd and remained active in all matters of the church almost until the end of his life. And as his body gradually began to give out on him, he transformed his own personal suffering into a lesson in the suffering endured by Christ in the hours preceding his death.
John Paul II has left an indelible mark on the history of the Catholic church. Millions, if not billions, mourn his death. I mourn his death. And I am glad that his suffering has ended at last, and that he is now surely in a better place.
As I have said before, I am not a Catholic. So I would like to believe that I can play the part of the detached observer as I look back on the legacy of John Paul II
(At this point I should probably warn you that if you are offended by criticism of the late Pope, you should probably stop reading.)
Speaking as the aforementioned detached observer, I have to say that for all his great accomplishments, John Paul II also undertook some actions that harmed the church. And while you may think it is wrong to speak ill of the dead, I want to point out a few issues where I believe he came down on the wrong side:
* He was wrong to discourage the use of birth control in overpopulated, poverty-stricken countries--what do you think causes that overpopulation and poverty?
* He was wrong to allow no discussion of the ordination of women--has everyone forgotten that Jesus had a mother?
* He was wrong to allow no discussion of the issue of priestly celibacy--Saint Peter was married, for cripes sake!
* He was wrong to participate in the church's long-running cover-up of the abuse scandal--Seriously: How bad does it have to get?
* He was wrong to encourage America to keep its borders open to immigration--how many immigrants has Vatican City taken in lately?
* He was wrong to maintain stringent secrecy in the affairs of the Church--Didn't he say that the Church should be made with walls of glass?
These are but a few errors in judgment he made. But he was, after all, only human. And humans make mistakes. The wise ones learn from them.
I'm not saying John Paul II was not a wise man. Far from it. He was much wiser than I am. He simply did not allow for the possibility that he might be wrong on occasion. That is not a failing that any knowledgeable individual can possess in this day and age.
A few days from now, when the Cardinals meet to select the next Pope, they have a golden opportunity to select someone who can seriously address the issues that threaten the future of the Catholic Church, perhaps the most serious of which is the aging clergy, and the growing lack of interest in Catholism by the younger crowd.
So, keeping that in mind, I have a few suggestions for the new Pontiff:
* Allow priests to marry. Almost every other organized religion in the world not only allows its clergy to marry and have children, but encourages them to do so.
* Allow the ordination of women. 50% of the world's population is female. It's time the Catholic Church changed to reflect that fact.
* Allow some forms of birth control. The best way to reduce the abortion rate is to reduce the rate of unwanted/unplanned pregnancy.
* Be more tolerant of other religions. Accept the fact that not everyone worships God the same way you do. I'm sure He doesn't mind. You shouldn't either.
I realize that I am by no means the first person to suggest any or all of these things. Nor, undoubtedly, will I be the last one to suggest them. Nor do I expect the next Pontiff to give them any more thought than the last one.
But a man can dream.
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