PJPII's peace and justice legacy

Like most progressive Catholics, I'm a bit dismayed at the direction the Catholic Church in the U.S. is moving, from its giant move to the right during last year's presidential elections, to what Pope Benedict XVI has said on everything from gay rights to women's ordination.

John Paul II wasn't great on many of the issues I hold dear to me, either. But even though he was regarded as a strict theological conservative, the man never stopped championing the work of peace in this world. And though he could have done it more often, JP II was good at calling out U.S. policies as unjust - from our economic policies abroad, to the Bush administration's document of preemptive war, to our government's continued use of the death penalty.

So before the conservative wing of our Church captures the legacy of JP II as theirs, I put together this article on his peace and justice achievements, which was just picked up by a great, progressive Methodist magazine, Zion's Herald. Don't let the name throw you. Even though it sounds like something from the 700 club, this magazine is a great resource for commentary on faith and politics.

The headline is kind of interesting, too. "Taking the measure of Pope John Paul II." Sounds kind of scandalous and dirty!