rity Movement) (Bernstein and Politi, 1996)) against continued Eastern-bloc communist domination of Poland, John Paul II used the power of his Papacy to help end Soviet-bloc communist control of Poland and Eastern Europe (Szulc, 1995). In myriad ways, but especially in terms of his forthright bravery in facing down Eastern European communism, John Paul II showed himself, early on in his Papacy, to be a staunch, determined defender of truth in terms of political and economic injustices. His health and characteristic physical robustness began diminishing in the early 1990's when John Paul II first showed signs of Parkinson's disease; worsening arthritis, and other age related ailments. These eventually slowed him down, but did not stop him (until he became entirely physically unable) from traveling to all corners of the world
             The Pope was a strong, determined voice for those least able to speak up for their human rights, or against the present conditions of their lives, e.g., the poor; illiterate; sick; physically or developmentally challenged, and the unborn (Weigel, 2001). As a former theater actor during his college days in Krakow (Craig, 1979), John Paul II was especially skilled at using the power of the media, and television in particular, to bring his spiritual message to millions of by way of television. He visited 100 nations, more than any previous Pope ("Pope John Paul II", March 10, 2006). During a series of visits to the United States in the late 1970's and mid-1980's, the Pope challenged Ame
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