From All Africa-Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II are the odd couple of modern Roman Catholicism. The avuncular John XXIII, who wanted to loosen up a hidebound Church, and the combative John Paul II, who struggled to rein in what he viewed as the excesses of the Second Vatican Council that John XXIII had convened, appear to be ideological opposites. Yet Pope Francis will canonize the pair this month - a surprising move that may offer a glimpse into his goals for the Church.
The most obvious implication is that Francis is weary of polarization, and hopes that the dual canonization will help to propel a shift toward a "big tent" Catholicism that appeals to a broader range of people. Francis is certainly in a strong position to initiate such a shift; his political capital is extraordinarily high, surpassing even that of US President Barack Obama in his early days in office. People seem to appreciate his preference for teaching by example and dramatic gesture - exemplified by his canonization of the rival stars of Vatican II - rather than by encyclical.
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