...that John Paul II was exceptional, not by the words of his friends, but of his adversaries. Below I mentioned Ian Paisley's comments, which, although hardly laudatory, at least didn't sound like he was foaming at the mouth. Now comes Fidel Castro, who went to the length of attending Mass at the cathedral in Havana. Apparently, Castro hasn't been to the cathedral in 46 years, and only been to Mass at all three times since that time.
"Enemy" may not be the right word, as Castro referred to the Pontiff as an "unforgettable friend," but I doubt the Bearded One had a lot of affection for John Paul, given that Cuba is still officially atheist, and Castro himself has been under excommunication since the early 60s. The pope did come to Castro's defense over the US embargo, which may be the source of his gratitude.
In any case, it's gratifying to see people like Castro and Paisley being... well... nice about the pope's death. Neither one of them is what you'd call young, and this may be the last chance either of them gets to gloat over a dead pope. Yet they both passed up the opportunity. Classy, at least for them.
There's no word yet from Jack Chick, who's also getting on in years. If anyone hears about his reactions, please let me know.
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