The death of the pope has drawn the attention of the world. Whether one liked him or not, most seem to understand how important John Paul II’s death was.

He was the third-longest reigning pope in history and has been the only Bishop of Rome many of us have known.

As the head of the Catholic Church, the pope is looked at critically by all one billion Catholics – practicing and non-practicing – and most of the other people in the world. Often, people want the pope to do everything perfectly and in line with what they believe.

John Paul, a conservative pope, enraged many liberals with his stances on sex and the role of women in the church.

Another criticism of the pope is his treatment of the internal matters of the church, opting to travel to as many countries as possible and ignoring the church’s infrastructure.

But the pope’s conviction in his beliefs has to be admired. In the midst of controversy, he never altered his views to conform or compromise with someone else.

When it looked like America was going to war in Iraq, he exhausted much effort to convince President Bush that the war was unjust. He could have conceded with minimal diplomacy to ensure a good relationship, but he continued and was adamant about his position.

Whatever direction the new pope takes Catholicism, he will do well to imitate John Paul’s spirit and dedication to beliefs.