"Even as the aged pope's body shuts down in the late stages of Parkinson's disease, his will to live—and to impose his will on the Roman Catholic faithful—remains as stubborn as ever," Newsweek's Christopher Dickey writes. In case you didn't get the message, Dickey adds a few lines later that the pope "continues to assert his will in the daily life of the church" and concludes that John Paul II has "spent a generation imposing his will on the church." Dickey's prose is about as subtle as Dolly Parton's chest.

So what is Pope John Paul II trying to "impose" on Roman Catholics? Roman Catholicism. The author reminds readers that the pope, gasp, opposes abortion and homosexual marriage--and does so in a "confrontational" manner. Is the pope trying to force these views--labeled not his faith's will, but "his will"--on Catholics, or is he just stating the Church's position on human life and sexual morality since the time of St. Peter? Isn't it more accurate to claim that liberal Catholics, political pressure-groups, and agenda-driven journalists like Dickey are trying to impose their views on the Church? After all, this pope is not saying anything different on the sanctity of human life or on homosexuality than any of his predecessors. It's as if Newsweek would have us believe that once upon a time a more enlightened pope led gay-pride marches through Rome or opened up Planned Parenthood clinics in Vatican City.

Karol Wojtyla survived under the rule of Nazism and Communism. He survived an assassination attempt. In recent years, he has survived Parkinson's and other maladies. His reputation will survive the spitballs and jeers of whining scribblers.

The pope should stifle it and bears not shit in the woods. Then all would be right with the world.

There should be a 'should' between 'bear' and 'not.'

"Imposing his will"!! -- the reporter must not know anything about the Church and its doctrine. Another very amusing thing: the guy tries to trump up concern that the pope hasn't made a "living will", and so the people don't know whether/when to "pull the plug" -- his phrase. The Church has a teaching on this, distinguishing between ordinary and extraordinary means, etc. Why would the pope need a "living will"?

Can't Newsweek get a reporter who knows his a** from his elbow regarding the structure and teachings of the church?

It shows, sadly, how terrible Catholics are at explaining their faith. But worse, it shows how much work Catholics have left to do to SPREAD their faith. Catholics must, at the very least, strive to create a world that understands the faith. It's only just for people to at least comprehend what they're rejecting. Of course, so-called "Catholic-Activists" are always trying to push this kind of garbage on the media. So it's no wonder these kinds of pieces get written. We're very bad at "media".

But still, it is ridiculous. It's like saying the CEO of a company is "imposing his will" on the corporation. "Who is he to tell us how to run this company???" Crazy.

And oh yeah, why wasn't the Archbishop of Canturbury trying to "impose his will" on Anglicans worldwide when he said he would allow for "same-sex relationships (not marriage, to his credit)", or when he said that the Bible doesn't ban ALL homosexual activity? I think I know the answer.

It's worse than complaing that a CEO is "imposing his will" on a company. The pope has made no major changes to church practice or teaching. So how has he imposed his will?

It's terrible Newsweek can't get hide its liberal schmuckiness in what amounts to a pre-obituary for one of the greatest figures of the 20c.

Newsweek is a bunch of tools - and not the sharp ones, either.

Read the Peggy Noonan piece in WSJ instead. Hell, read mine if you like. I can at least claim the merit of knowing my a** from my elbow.

Other than allowing women priests, gay unions, gay bishops, and losing almost a third of its congregation in the process, short is right. The pope has made no major changes in doctrine or practice.

Oh wait...that's Canterbury again. I keep getting those two confused.

What is Newsweek's "Periscope" section? This short essay isn't purporting to be a news item is it? It is clearly another example of Anti-Catholic prejudice, a bigoted screed trying to present itself innocuously.

Moderns, particularly liberals, are incapable of perceiving authority as other than personal "will" or "will to power." The Pope is only doing God's Will, not man's, not his own; or rather, is able to conform his will to God's.

If you take a look at any of Mother Teresa's personal papers, meditations, etc., you will see how often she did entertain self-doubts, and wondered at the ability to sustain her energies and continue her works of mercy. But she never faltered and demonstrated heroic (saintly) courage and virtue in always ultimately subjecting her will to God's and doing His Will.

That Christopher Dickey does not believe in this worldview, does not accept the Church's understanding is one thing, that he does not even understand it is an entirely different story. Like Homer suggests much of this ignorance does have to do with the failure of Catholics to inform themselves and others of their beliefs but Dickey IS still culpable for his ignorance when he seeks to declaim on such topics as the pope's refusal to retire or lack of a "living will."

It is called research.

But journalists as a whole are decidedly below the average in human intelligence.