ABSTRACT
The oldest institution on earth, the Roman Catholic Church sustains a farflung flock whose one billion adherents comprise one-sixth of the globe’s population. This alone ensures political import, but equally crucial is the Church’s deep tradition of engagement with worldly affairs – a comfortableness with politics not shared by all religious faiths. Such size and tradition, combined with the legacy of John Paul II, ensure the visibility and impact of the Church in world politics.
