This Friday, Pope John Paul II will be laid to rest in the grotto of St. Peter's, close to his predecessors and to the tomb of St. Peter, who was the first pope. As the Vatican and the city of Rome brace for the millions of pilgrims who will be in attendance, many commentators continue to discuss, debate, and argue the various aspects of his time as the leader of the Roman Catholic church. Some have pointed to his substantial work in rallying against communism as a strong point in his papacy, while still others felt that he seemed to be unable to reconcile the modern concerns of many Catholics in Western Europe and the United States. Some commentators had more harsh words for the Pope, including the Swiss theologian Hans Kueng who had called upon the Pope to retire when his health began to decline and also remarked that the Pope's internal policies were "devastating".
The first link leads to a commentary on the legacy of the Pope's work from Richard Gwyn of the Toronto Star. The second link will take visitors to a news story from the Philadelphia Inquirer that discusses the work of the Pope during his time in office. The third link leads to a forceful and emphatic opinion piece written by Margo MacDonald for the Scotsman in regards to the Pope. The fourth link leads to a news story from the New Zealand Independent which talks about the problems that the theologian Hans Kueng had with the agenda of the Pope. The fifth link leads to a discussion about the Pope's legacy from National Public Radio. The final link leads to the homepage of the Vatican, where visitors may learn about the Pope, the Holy See, and their diverse activities and programs.
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