The Prime Minister, the President, and the Pope

Fr. Sullivan once remarked in a homily that God gives to the world the people it needs with the talents they need when the world needs them most. As an example, he noted the founding fathers of this country. Never before or since that illustrious group of men has there been gathered in one time and in one place so many minds of such political genius.

A statistician may expect talent to be randomly distributed. Perhaps, due to social and economic factors, talents may be developed in groups, but generally speaking a more homogeneous distribution might be expected. If one looks at history, then clearly this is not the case. Talent is not random and great men don't occur by happenstance. They are placed in a time and place, and rise to the occasions demanded of them.

When the world was facing perhaps the greatest threat mankind had ever produced, the most evil regime, save perhaps Carthage or the Aztecs, three people appeared, as if by divine providence, to bring it to a close. In a time when the world could not foresee a peaceful resolution to the global crisis of communism, when the very real threat of global thermonuclear war seemed frighteningly close, three heroes emerged on the scene and, without firing a single shot, brought the Soviet Union crashing down.

They were from diverse backgrounds; the theory that their concentration of talent arises from a common education or socioeconomic background does not hold. One was the daugher of a grocer, who studied chemistry. One was an actor and broadcaster, who began his career in politics at about the same age most men retire. The third was an unknown Polish priest, who suffered through two occupations.

Together, these three did more than perhaps any other person or group of people to end the communist threat. And for that, the world owes them the highest gratitude.

Nearly two years ago, I commented on the passing of one era of history. Certainly today, another has passed, with the death of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. She was not a random occurrence, and her position in history was not by happenstance.