Another prophetic pope

A new pope arrives in the United States. Expectations are high for this different type of papacy, which brings fresh air from a land that has never given Catholicism a pope before. He comes to America as a media star, having energized not only Catholics but many of other faiths or even no faith at all. His charisma and direct contact with people in the pews contrast starkly with the remoteness and intellectualism of his predecessor. Catholicism has been in the doldrums for more than a decade, but his unexpected election has sparked excitement and curiosity. He gives voice to many who haven't been heard and have been yearning for leadership.

The year is 1979. The pope is John Paul II. 

Pope John Paul II arrived in the United States as a prophet unafraid to speak uncomfortable truths to powerful people, including his hosts. In one if his major statements during that trip, his homily at Yankee Stadium in October 1979, he spoke of peace, justice, and fairness. Solutions will not be simplistic slogans: “You will not allow yourselves to be intimidated or discouraged by oversimplified explanations, which are more ideological than scientific—explanations which try to account for a complex evil by some single cause.”