Kofi's Statement on John Paul II

You may have missed Kofi's statement on the passing of Pope John Paul II. Here it is:

“I was deeply saddened by the death of Pope John Paul II. Quite apart from his role as a spiritual guide to more than a billion men, women and children, he was a tireless advocate of peace, a true pioneer in interfaith dialogue and a strong force for critical self-evaluation by the Church itself.

“I had the privilege to meet him several times in recent years. I was always struck by his commitment to having the United Nations become, as he said during his address to the General Assembly in 1995, ‘a moral centre where all the nations of the world feel at home and develop a shared awareness of being, as it were, a ‘family of nations’’.

“I offer my deepest condolences to Catholics and others around the world who were touched by his life of prayer and lifelong dedication to non-violence and peace.”

A couple thoughts.

First, it's interesting that even in a carefully crafted diplomatic statement, the truth is laid out: The pope did not think the UN had become "a moral centre," but that it might become such a place.

Second, because of that, I imagine Kofi stood to get more out of their meetings than did the pope.

And finally, without a doubt, the pope prayed for Kofi and the UN. He was a man of peace, but also a realist. What he hoped for the UN and what he saw from the UN probably troubled him. But then, much troubled him. Which is why, according to Vatican sources, he prayed for seven or eight hours a day.