How Did John Paul II Lead The Catholic Church

Pope John Paul II was elected to lead the Catholic Church during a time of religious decline and moral deterioration in Europe. The Catholic Church was strongly against the atheist Communist regime that was spreading through eastern Europe. It was clear that a message was being sent to the Soviet Union when a Polish pope was elected. His election immediately caused concern in the USSR. Within only a few months, change began brewing deep in the Soviet bloc as people began to demand religion, reunion, and rights. After his speech in Poland in June 1979, the attitude within the Soviet bloc started to shift. For more than thirty years there had been little change in the region. In ten years, communism fell in Poland. Less than fifteen years after his famous speech, Soviet communism collapsed all together. This is not all due to the Pope’s pilgrimages and speeches, but it is undeniable that he was a
He made sure to visit the site where middle-class workers were killed following a strike and gave a mass in dedication to them. This won over the affection of the working class, which was what marxism is meant to rely upon. Another perfectly timed decision was Pope John Paul II’s second trip to Poland in 1983. This occurred amidst martial law and mass arrests of Solidarity party members, including Solidarity leader Lech Walesa. The Pope met with Walesa and encouraged him to keep faith. John Paul even gave a speech suggesting that the people of Poland needed sovereignty to practice their faith freely and determine their own values, separate from the communist regime. This is a clear strike against Soviet power and influence in the area. Within a month of the Pope’s speech, martial law had been lifted. The swiftness of this action shows the intensity of the pontiff’s influence, even when the communist government pretended it wasn’t there. The power of Pope John Paul II came from his perfect timing and meaningful