During the 80s and 90s it was found that more people came into the Church through the examples set by JPII and Mother Teresa.
Don't sell JPII short and do't mock his truly heroic effort to lay down that example for young people.
Under JPII I asked my son if he ever thought of becoming a priest. He said “why, so I can molest children?” JPII’s refusal to confront THAT problem head-on caused great damage to the Church that can never be undone. Don’t be so quick to put him on a pedestal.
“Don’t sell JPII short and do’t mock his truly heroic effort to lay down that example for young people.”
His stance against communism was heroic; his ecumenism was damaging. Why would my sons sacrifice to become Catholic priests if they could be Anglican priests and otherwise live as laymen (family and all)? Young people saw JPII as a friendly older man who had no harsh words for anyone; I don’t know why anyone has any expectations of those same young people in terms of their faith today. The numbers lost can in no way be made up by the small number touched deeply.