Pope John Paul II

I really don't have anything to say about the Holy Father that has not already been said.

I will miss him, certainly. I have to remember far back to dim memories of a world without Pope John Paul II. Nearly three years ago we had went to an audience in Rome. He had been going through one of those periods of particularly bad health that he has suffered from in the past few years, and we didn't really expect him to make it through that year (certainly not having to endure the Roman heat in all those audiences).

Even in his poor health he was electrifying. He preached in several languages (which was good, as it was getting hard to understand him, so hearing the homily in Italian, Spanish, and German was quite useful) and seemed to actually enjoy being there. We found it quite touching to see the line of newlyweds in their wedding finery approach for special blessings.

I have always enjoyed reading his encyclicals, and his "Letter to Artists" has provided me with considerable food for thought.

We have lost one of the greatest Popes of all time, and we should count it as a great blessing to have been alive during his pontificate.

However, I am confident that the next Pope will be fine. I am not going to speculate as to who it is going to be (and to tell the truth I am more curious as to which name he will take), because it will probably be someone we know next to nothing about anyway. Perhaps it will be an African cardinal, perhaps a Latin American.

Yes, I really would like to see it go back to an Italian, but being Bishop of Rome makes anyone Italian. Even if he is Polish, or Armenian, or Nigerian. To be Pope is to be the Top Wop, even if one was originally born Chinese or Sicilian.

Top Wop. They ought to add that to the official titles:

Vicar of Christ. Bishop of Rome. Servant of the Servants of God. Top Wop.

Mussolini wanted to be Top Wop, but even with the Lateran Treaty (a fine treaty, by the way), it was always a fiction. Our Capo di tutti Capi is the Papa.

Meanwhile, as a matter of Blog Policy, I will tolerate sedevacantists in my comments box until the white smoke appears over the Vatican, so long as they recognize that the seat has only been vacant since today.

So, farewell, Pope John Paul. You were one fine Pope!