The Cardinals of the Catholic Church were given a tough decision. Just a month prior, they had chosen a youthful pope (65 is young for a pope) who had unexpectedly passed away. This left the cardinals to once again choose a leader for the church. Two lead candidates emerged, but neither would receive the number of votes needed because their flaws prevented them from serving as the new pope. Because of the situation, an unlikely third candidate emerged, the Polish Cardinal, Karol Wojtyła.Wojtyła, originally a compromise, proved to be the right pope selected for the right time. Pope John Paul II, as he is known to the world, was fluent in 11 languages and frequently traveled, visiting 129 countries through his ministry. In his youth, Karol Wojtyła knew the full effects of oppression in his native Poland, first conquered by Nazi Germany, then "liberated" by the Communist Soviet Union. Wojtyła experienced many years of oppression and vowed to use his position to spread peace throughout the globe. During Pope John Paul II's reign, communism fell throughout Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, a change that freed hundreds of millions of people from oppressive governments. John Paul II also made peace with the other denominations of Christianity along with Judaism, Islam and Buddhism.
A key lesson that can be taken from the selection of Pope John Paul II is that when the Cardinals chose a pope, they first failed to see the significance of their selection on the non-Catholic people of the world. Too often groups choose leaders without understanding the situation in which the leaders serve. The choice of our leaders effects not only the interior operation of a group, but also the group's perceptions to outsiders. Because of the quick opportunity to select another pontiff and the inability to choose between the two front-runners, the Cardinals were able to reevaluate the situation and then choose the best possible candidate for the position.
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