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Article: Pope John Paul II 1920-2005: Leadership: his legacy to the church; His critics called him ruthlessly authoritarian, but Pope John Paul II restored authority and moral leadership to the Vatican. His uncompromising re-statements of Roman Catholic beliefs were a beacon to millions.(Features)
- Article from:
- Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland)
- Article date:
- April 4, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Scottish Daily Record & Sunday. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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JOHN PAUL II made the world-wide TV audience his congregation. No Pope had ever been more universally popular - and he used that popularity to strengthen his authority.
The religious leader who lived in the limelight also had an authoritarian side. During his papacy the ancient phrase 'Roma locuta, causa finita' (Rome has spoken, case closed) came to mean something again.
Hopes that a non-Italian Pope would open up the Church of Rome to the world were fulfilled. No previous Pope had stormed the world stage like the Polish actor-priest.
He restored ...