Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

46 Years Ago, the Soviet Empire’s End Was Set in Motion
The Spectator ^ | 10/17/2024 | Francis P. Sempa

Posted on 10/18/2024 12:30:01 PM PDT by Kid Shelleen

On Oct. 16, 1978, the cardinal electors of the Roman Catholic Church elected Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla to sit on the Chair of St. Peter. Wojtyla took the name Pope John Paul II, having succeeded John Paul I, who died suddenly after serving as Roman pontiff for only 33 days. Though few recognized it at the time, the papal election of Karol Wojtyla was the beginning of the end of the Soviet empire.

As George Weigel explained in The End and the Beginning, John Paul II, only eight months after his election, “ignited a revolution of conscience in his native Poland — a moral challenge to the Cold War status quo that helped set in motion the international drama that would

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs; marxism; poland; popejohnpaulii; reagan; sovietunion; thatcher; ussr

1 posted on 10/18/2024 12:30:01 PM PDT by Kid Shelleen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kid Shelleen

I was a student in an all girls Catholic high school at the time. I was in gym class when the school announced his election. I was surprised by the name Karol. I was use to Italian popes.


2 posted on 10/18/2024 12:38:50 PM PDT by vaskypilot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kid Shelleen

The days of Solidarity.


3 posted on 10/18/2024 12:39:30 PM PDT by ComputerGuy (Heavily-medicated for your protection)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ComputerGuy

Followed by almost a decade of The Great One being POTUS!!

What glorious times.

The Pope. The Great One. Thatcher. The olympic hocky team :)

good old days


4 posted on 10/18/2024 12:58:53 PM PDT by dp0622 (Tried a coup, a fake tax story, tramp slander, Russia nonsense, impeachment and a virus. They lost.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: dp0622

40+ years ago. Once the Cowboy became president, things took off.


5 posted on 10/18/2024 1:56:34 PM PDT by ComputerGuy (Heavily-medicated for your protection)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Kid Shelleen

A muslim attempted the assassination of John Paul III in 1981.


6 posted on 10/18/2024 3:41:07 PM PDT by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jacquerie

John Paul II.


7 posted on 10/18/2024 3:41:40 PM PDT by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...
Hope you're having a nice weekend.

8 posted on 10/19/2024 8:16:55 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: vaskypilot

I was in fourth grade attending Our Lady of Charity school. Everyone was shocked at the time. Thank God, though.


9 posted on 10/19/2024 10:34:01 PM PDT by Windcatcher
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson