“Be Not Afraid” – How Faith and Moral Leadership Can Shape the Future
Mike R. Pompeo
American Center for Law and Justice
April 25, 2025
As a young Army officer serving along the Iron Curtain during the Cold War, I witnessed firsthand the stark contrast between freedom and oppression. I saw a system that denied its citizens their most fundamental rights, including the right to worship freely. What seemed insurmountable then – the Soviet Empire – eventually crumbled, due in no small part to the moral clarity provided by faith leaders like Pope John Paul II.
As we mourn the passing of Pope Francis this week, I am reminded of another pontiff whose moral clarity helped change the course of history. Pope John Paul II’s role in the fall of communism cannot be overstated. When Karol Wojtyła returned to his native Poland in 1979 as the newly elected pontiff, his message of human dignity, truth, and spiritual freedom ignited a peaceful revolution. His famous words, “Be not afraid,” provided courage to millions suffering under communist rule. The Pope understood something that many Western leaders missed: The Soviet system was not only politically and economically bankrupt, but also morally bankrupt.
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