The Best Thing I Read About The Pope All Week

David Remnick has a fine piece about the life of Pope John Paul II in this week's New Yorker. By far, it is the best thing I have read about the late, great pope. It ends with Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete, a friend of the pope, recalling his last conversation with the Holy Father.

The last conversation we had was in Rome. I was there because he was beatifying a Puerto Rican, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez. I said, ‘I protest, Holy Father! I want to be the first Puerto Rican saint!’ He smiled, said nothing. Then I said, ‘You know, Holy Father, I’m feeling a little guilty. I’ve agreed to go on television after you’ve died to say something or other about you.’ He smiled again. Then he said, ‘How do they know that I will die first?’ He was able to joke. He was not afraid.”