A Great Leader Retires

It's confirmed, Pope John Paul II has died.

Let's hope that the incoming, new Pope will be as persevering and hardworking as his predecessor.

Born on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, as Karol Józef Wojtyła, Pope John Paul II had done a great job in promoting love, hope, and understanding among people of various faiths and races. His memory will remain in the hearts of the millions of people around the world who have looked up to him as their great spiritual leader.

Pride (In the Name of Love)
In 2000, the Pope publicly endorsed the Jubilee 2000 campaign on African debt relief fronted by the Irish artists Bob Geldof (of the Boomtown Rats ["I Don't Like Mondays"]; the organizer of the collaborative group Band-aid ["Do They Know It's Christmas?"]) and Bono Vox (of U2).

I could hear Bono singing now,

One man come in the name of love
One man come and go

Words Can't Express How Sorry I Am
In 1992, to protest what she perceived to be the sins of organized religion, the Irish artist Sinéad O'Connor tore up a photo of the Pope on national television, on NBC's Saturday Night Live, after proclaiming "Fight the real enemy!"

Despite this, I still listen to the bald beauty's music (especially to her early releases: "Mandinka," "Nothing Compares 2 U," and "The Emperor's New Clothes"). I usually regard a work of music or literature or a piece of art as a separate entity from its originator. Besides, in 2000 O'Connor expressed her obvious repentance for what she had "unintentionally" done against Catholics (or Christians). In the song "The Lamb's Book of Life," from the album Faith and Courage (Atlantic, 2000), Sinéad sings

I know that I have done many things
To give you reason not to listen to me
Especially as I have been so angry
But if you'd knew me maybe you would understand me

Words can't express how sorry I am
If I ever caused pain to anybody
I just hope that you can show compassion
And love me enough to just please listen