In the humble opinion of this Catholic, Pope John Paul II has been a disaster to the Catholic Church. During his 25-year plus reign, the Church has deteriorated in the West as the pope has either tolerated or turned a blind-eye to modernists and other heretics within the Church.
This is why things like Mass attendence is off and vocations in America are but a fraction of what they were before JPII's Vatican II "reforms."
JPII is popularly thought of as a traditionalist and conservative. This is not so. The pope can only be viewed as such in that he has not totally compitulated to the modern world by approving homosexuality, women priests, equality of all religions, etc.
I wish the Pope well but fear that the one replacing him will be even worse.
Wow...
It didn't take that long for the bashfest to start...
He is a great Christian witness and an extraordinary man. I believe he is animated by the Spirit. He is a traditionalist - read his encyclicals - he has also supported bringing back the Tridentine Mass in certain circumstances.
It's true that the Church has deteriorated - but that is in spite of JPII's strenuous efforts, not because of them. Just one of many examples: when he came to the U.S. in '79, he told the bishops there was a serious problem in the American Church (the abusers) - they told him, in effect, you don't know what you're talking about, go back to Rome. 25 years later, we are still reaping the whirlwind.
Most liberal "progressive" Catholics I know despise this pope because he is so "backward."
And you are probably right - the next pope is not likely to strengthen Catholic tradition. Just read what the various Cardinals are saying about their priorities for the future of the Church - it's scary.