VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- I am deeply grieved as a great man passes from this world to his much deserved eternal reward. John Paul II has been the most beloved religious leader of our age – far surpassing in popular admiration the leader of any faith.

He has been a man of great warmth, profound understanding, deep spirituality, and indefatigable vigor. It was my great honor to meet with him at the residence of my good friend, Cardinal O’Conner, in New York, and to sit in the Consistory during the mass he conducted in Central Park. I told him at the time how much the American people loved him, and he merely smiled. That love was shared not only in America but by millions all over the globe.

He has been a steady bridge in the transition of Eastern Europe from communism to freedom. His personal magnetism brought together all Christians in new bonds of understanding.

I pray for the Cardinals of the Catholic Church that they might have God-given wisdom in selecting the successor to this great man. Their task will not be easy, but with God all things are possible.