Really. Tell that to the underground Church, being arrested, jailed and tortured. If it's dead in Russia, what happened to the KGB? When were the arrests and trials? What about all the political prisoners? When were they released? Boy you'd think at least a few of them would have been on Oprah by now.
Communism is economic central planning. That is dead even in China. In all formerly communist countries Christianity is growing, including China.
I know the late Pope was not alone in transforming the world, but his contribution is among the greatest in late 20 century.