The Pope

In my life I have gone to see a number of great holy people from various traditions. I never got to see the Pope in person. The Pope did what he thought was right according to his religious beliefs. He did what he thought was God’s will. The Pope reached out to many people. He reached out to people of other faiths, such as Jews and Muslims. He had great compassion for people suffering from AIDS. The Pope really cared about the poor. He cared about peace, and he stood up against the war in Iraq. Above all, he cared about the most despised of people—just as Jesus would have—those on death row. He was against the death penalty. He even forgave and blessed the man who shot him and tried to kill him. He also served as a great example for accepting suffering with grace and for continuing on in one’s work despite of physical suffering and great obstacles. He was a very great human being.

The Pope also disappointed many people. He did not provide answers to issues of sexual equality and sexuality. He did not move to make it possible for women to be priests. He did not really have an answer to the issue of human sexuality. He was against artificial birth control and abortion. He didn’t really have the answer to how people are supposed to control their sexual desires or to how our society is supposed to support all the unwanted children that could be born if people followed his advice. He didn’t have an answer for gay men and lesbians. He didn’t have an answer for straight and bisexual people who do not find that one special person of the opposite sex who is the right person to marry. I am single and I know how hard it is to have no one to come home to, no one to help me. My life is very hard. I don’t think the Pope had an answer for people who are totally homosexual and need a mate or for heterosexual and bisexual people who are unmarried but also need someone to love. I don’t think he had an answer for people young, middle aged, and old who can’t completely control their sexual desires. Allowing married people to have all the sex, love, and support they need but denying this to anyone who doesn’t fit the married, heterosexual model does not seem fair or realistic. Celibacy is a gift, and the Catholic religion, as well as many other religions, expects far too many people to have that rare gift. The Pope didn’t have an adequate answer for priests who are expected to be celibate--obviously. And I think he disappointed the many victims of sexual abuse by priests to some extent.

I can’t even begin to hope that the next Pope will address all these issues. But for a start, I do hope the next Pope realizes the gift from God that Roman Catholics are wasting by not allowing women to be priests. There are so many women who would be happy to be priests and to be celibate if they could be priests. If there is a solution to the sexual abuse problem, women priests is the best one. There would be so much less risk of sexual abuse if there were women priests. My hope is that at least this issue will be moved forward by the next Pope.

God was merciful to not allow the Pope to lie in a bed suffering for an extended period of time. The Pope is now safe and joyful, in Heaven with God, Jesus, Mary, Mother Teresa, all the saints and the angels.