be born in better governed and more prosperous
countries, a long way to go before a meaningful
global community emerges.
Millions the world over follow the teachings of
the Catholic Church and were affected by the
death of the Pope, John Paul II in April 2005.
He had made a huge impact on their lives. What
is his legacy? John Paul II condemned artificial
birth control and the use of condoms to combat
the plagues of Aids; the priesthood remained celi-
bate and male; homosexuality continued to be
morally unacceptable; in all this he followed the
traditional teaching of the Church. Power was
centralised in the Vatican to ensure conformity to
doctrine. John Paul II was revered for his moral
strength and clarity, his courage resisting com-
munism in his native Poland, his outreach visit-
ing every continent despite failing health, his con-
demnation of centuries of persecution of the
Jews, his conciliation of other faiths sharing
common foundations. His death attracted pil-
grims in unprecedented numbers and marked the
end of an era.
In a world far from perfect and scarred by many
conflicts the words of Nelson Mandela ring out
as a fitting inspiration for the new century:
No one is born hating another person because
of the colour of his skin, or his background,
or his religion. People must learn to hate,
they can be taught to love for love comes more
naturally to the human heart than its opposite.
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INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM 957
