Tim Kaine, a devout Roman Catholic, made the following statement following the death of Pope John Paul II.
?John Paul II was a leader of tremendous energy and courage.?From his installation, when he exhorted followers to ?Be not afraid," to the suffering of his last years, which he bore with grace and peace, John Paul II has been a teacher for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
?He taught us that hope is contagious as he fought Communism in Poland and Eastern Europe.
?He taught us that joy must be shared as he traveled to more countries and shared the gospels with more followers?particularly young people?than any pope before him.
?And as a final lesson, the man who had once been called ?God?s athlete,? and who had changed the image of the papacy with his vigor and enthusiasm, taught us that all stages of life have value, and that illness, age, and suffering do not dim the light of God?s presence in each of us.
?My prayers today are joined with the prayers of the many who have been touched by this remarkable life.?
Our condolences to the more than 800,000 Catholics who live in Virginia. John Paul II was a great, courageous leader, the likes of which we may never see again. Rest in peace.