Editorial: The Legacy of John Paul II
John Paul II presided over the Catholic Church for 26-and-a-half years, longer than any other pope except St. Peter and Blessed Pius IX. For about half the people living today, he is the only pope they have ever known. During those 26 years, he visited over 130 countries, published more than 50 major documents, canonized hundreds of saints and appointed most of the church’s active bishops. But these numbers are only part of the story. Pope ... ( full text)

A Jewish Perspective by A. James Rudin
Because Karol Joseph Wojtyla was Polish-born, his election as pope on Oct. 16, 1978, was met with widespread skepticism within the Jewish community. There was concern that the new pope would reflect the traditional anti-Semitism that marked much of Jewish history in Poland. But John Paul II proved the skeptics wrong. His extraordinary contributions to building mutual respect and understanding between Catholics and Jews are historic in nature, and ... ( full text)

Cardinals in Conclave: A Troubled History by John W. O’Malley
After more than a quarter-century, cardinals from around the world are once again gathering in the Vatican, soon to be sequestered “in conclave” for as long as it takes to elect a new pope. We eagerly await the results but will have no information about what happens during the conclave, because the cardinals are sworn to absolute secrecy. The whole affair, at least as viewed from the outside, will be dignified and orderly, just what we should expect ... ( full text)

Insights of a Family Friend by Martin E. Marty
Suppose all the people called Roman Catholic had wanted to say goodbye to the pope. Allow them three seconds each for a handshake and a blessing. The parade of the first million would have taken only 36 days. But by the end of this pontificate there were one billion people who are called Catholic. The parade of greeters and blessees would have consumed 96 years of the pontiff’s time. One needs few more statistics than those included in this ... ( full text)

On Papal Transition by Thomas J. Reese
What happens when the pope dies?

The interregnum and election of a new pope are governed by the rules established in the 1996 constitution Universi Dominici Gregis (Of the Lord’s Whole Flock) of John Paul II.
When the pope dies, the prefect of the papal household (in this case, Bishop James Harvey) informs the camerlengo, or chamberlain, who must verify his death in the presence of the papal master of ceremonies, the ... ( full text)

The Theologian by Avery Dulles
As bishop and later as pope, John Paul II did not have the freedom to propose purely personal theological positions in his official documents. When acting as a pastoral teacher he sought rather to defend and proclaim the doctrine of the faith. But since doctrine always has to be expressed, justified and interpreted in a theologically colored language, official teaching and theology always interpenetrate. Even in their proclamation of the Christian ... ( full text)

The World Leader by John Thavis
Pope John Paul II spent more than 26 years as a dominant figure on the world stage, using his moral leadership to promote human rights, condemn ethical failings and plead for peace. He had the ear of presidents, prime ministers and kings, who came in a steady stream for private audiences at the Vatican. Although the pope’s fading health in later years made these one-on-one meetings less substantive, his encounters with U.S. and Soviet leaders ... ( full text)