In most of the world's great religions,
A large value is placed on tradition.
  Thus to argue for change
  Is viewed as quite strange
And oft greeted with scornful derision.

If you have new ideas to suggest,
The leaders will likely protest
  That you don't understand,
  These things by God are planned
And the way they are now is the best.

Catholicism has wide scope,
But the laws are laid down by the pope.
  You can't do what you want if
  The word of the pontiff
Proclaims that the answer is nope.

And nope is a quite common response
To questions with moral nuance.
  Liberal change is too bold.
  The traditions of old
Took a long time to become ensconced.


Pope John Paul says no in a loud voice
To things such as being pro-choice,
  Or allowing females
  To wear priestly coattails,
Or in contraception to rejoice.

All priests must maintain celibacy
According to Papal decree.
  The religion it guards,
  But it makes it quite hard
To keep business in the family.

So he bolsters the ancient regime,
Keeping old Roman doctrine extreme.
  Yet although he's dogmatic
  His rise was emphatic
Like nothing the world had yet seen.

Since the 1500's, as a rule
The pope was from Italian school.
  But John Paul broke this trend
  And managed to ascend
As a famous spiritual jewel.

There had never before been a Pole
Who had held this astonishing role.
  His years he sacrificed
  In the service of Christ
In order to save Catholics' souls.

Pope John Paul II worked a lot
To achieve all those good works he wrought.
  Although it is reputed
  That his health is disputed,
His devotion to his work is not.