THE POPE'S VISIT

Good for Benedict XVI. He came, he saw, he conquered hearts and minds across America. No small task, given the affection many of us felt toward his predecessor.

It's amazing when you think about it: a stern Bavarian intellectual, with a bent toward orthodoxy and precision, shows up in red shoes, conducts mass on baseball fields and surprises everyone by meeting with "sexual abuse victims." And he does all of it while managing to steer a tight course in his homilies and his Popemobile.

The Popemobile--my favorite part of the visit. I'm still intrigued at the architecture of that vehicle. For one, it's a customized Mercedes Benz SUV. For another, it has a couple of levels inside the bullet-proofed, see-through glass interior. As I understand it, his bodyguards sit behind and one level below the Pope's chair and standing room. The driver, of course, is in the cab up front. Impressive construction that gets it right, given its mission.

OK, so I'm a secularist and not that keen on orthodox religion. But I do know a good story and good p.r. when I see it. Whether we agree with the Church or not, the Pope did well in reminding us that he's human--and even more, the Big Papa who knows what he's doing and why. What's not to admire about THAT?