Posted on 04/06/2005 11:05:53 PM PDT by presidio9
Everyone has spoken this past week of John Paul II's role in the defeat of Soviet communism and the liberation of Eastern Europe. We don't know everything, or even a lot, about the quiet diplomatic moves--what happened in private, what kind of communications the pope had with the other great lions of the 1980s, Reagan and Thatcher. And others, including Bill Casey, the tough old fox of the CIA, and Lech Walesa of Solidarity.
But I think I know the moment Soviet communism began its fall. It happened in public. Anyone could see it. It was one of the great spiritual moments of the 20th century, maybe the greatest.
It was the first week in June 1979. Europe was split in two between east and west, the democracies and the communist bloc--police states controlled by the Soviet Union and run by local communist parties and secret police.
John Paul was a new pope, raised to the papacy just eight months before. The day after he became pope he made it clear he would like to return as pope to his native Poland to see his people.
The communists who ran the Polish regime faced a quandary. If they didn't allow the new Pope to return to his homeland, they would look defensive and frightened, as if they feared that he had more power than they. To rebuff him would seem an admission of their weakness. On the other hand, if they let him return, the people might rise up against the government, which might in turn trigger an invasion by the Soviet Union.
The Polish government decided that it would be too great an embarrassment to refuse the pope. So they invited him, gambling that John Paul--whom they knew when he was cardinal of Krakow,
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
I used to like Peggy, now I don't care what she has to say. Poor, bitter woman.
This is an absolutely beautiful piece, full of grace. You cheat yourself if you don't read it.
'We want God', except when bush is speaking.
Peggy has had a lot of great things to say about W over the years. She had every right to be angry with him after the election.
Hey there dude.
I like Peggy, but I dont think she ever retracted that.
She wrote even emphatically about it.
good to see you alive and kickin
Yep, she was dead wrong about that. But this is still a must-read.
I did read it. But its such a contradiction. I want to like it. But this was bush's point in his inagural - That faith can rekindle lost countries.
I think you need to go back and read that column again. Her point was that the President is not the Pope and the Pope is not the President. "Earth is not Heaven." As a Catholic, I had no problem loving and respecting John Paul the Great, even when he pointentdly differed with Bush's foreign policy on going to war to unseat Hussein, just as I have no problem accepting a President who backs policies that my Church opposes, such as capital punishment (which I believe in). Nevertheless, while my first allegiance is (as directer) to God before country, like Peggy, I accept the fact that while hugs might have contributed to the end of communist totalitarianism, they wouldn't habe worked on the Nazis or the taliban or the Baath party. The first effectivly outlawed organized religion. The second tacity accepted it. The last two based their autority on false ones. The currently President is definitely a good moral example for us all, but he is not a religious leader. His first role will always be as Commander-In-Chief of the United States Armed Forces, the most awesome human force in the history of this planet, and, while I appreciate Bush's religious comittments, Peggy was correct in pointing out that he needed to wave the Big stick around a bit.
Absolutely beautiful. That's the first time I've read the entire story of his trip home. Stunning!
You forget, if anyone disagrees with the party or the president they must be burned at the stake.
Now that our Pope is in Heaven, I'll consider resuming donations to FR when I notice that people are reprimanded for attacking him and the Church on this website. Until then I can't support any website that gives vioce to ignorant biggotry.
Agreed. Peggy is back to her best.
Then what are you doing here? If you don't support this site financially, you are freeploading on your fellow Americans. We work hard for our money, if you're a liberal who believes in welfare you're on the wrong site.
I used to like to think that I made up for it by enlightenting FReepers with articles that they wouldn't normally see, but I don't tend to come around as much any more. If it makes you feel better, I have been here under various screen names since 1998, and have donated plenty of money to this website, but I am first and formost a man of the Catholic church, and I refuse to give money to anyone who comforts Its enemies. If you don't agree with my position, what are you doning on this thread?
If you can't afford to donate, that's one thing, but if you refuse to donate, that's quite another.
If you hadn't posted this article, someone else would have, probably someone who pulled their weight.
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