I wish I'd met him in person, but despite the lack of direct human connection, I feel I knew him. I also know there was something unique about this man, Pope of the Roman Catholic Church John Paul II.

Was it his words?

There's no doubt he was an educated man and a talented writer. He could reach the audiences to which he spoke, whether in person or in print.

He had a way of choosing the direct path to our heart, our mind, our conscience and our soul. This was a man who was comfortable speaking to millions of people or just a few. He always chose the words to reach each of them, in the most personal way a man of deep faith is able.

He wasn't afraid of expressing his beliefs and his position on issues that to lesser men present a minefield of hesitations. John Paul II was a man of conscience and a pillar of strength. He was the leader of his church and the shepherd of his flock. There was never any doubt of his teachings. Resolute is not too strong a description.

Was it his belief?

Millions of people crowded into Rome to be there for his funeral. Many millions more watched hours of TV coverage from the announcement of his death until the end of the final mass. There's no doubt many were Roman Catholics, but it's also true that many of those who wanted to be part of the ceremonies and witness to the memorials were of other faiths – and many, no doubt, of no faith at all.

Why was it important for them to be there? For many, part of it was to be present during an important moment of history, but there are other reasons.

Pope John Paul II was more than the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He was a man of the world, a priest for all people. He met with and dealt with politicians, but he remained removed from politics.

He spoke of God and spread the Word, but he did it in a way that people were able to accept him and his goodness even if they were not believers. He spoke of the essence of goodness, of the need to respect life, of the need for all people to connect at the most basic, human level, of the need for us all to strive for peace on this earth.

Perhaps President Bush narrowed it down to the intrinsically important point when he said the pope was "witness to the dignity of human life."

That he was. It didn't matter whether the issue was the freedom of a nation from the chains of repression, the necessary reverence for all life or the innocent beauty of a child, Pope John Paul II never wavered. It was God's will that people be free, that life be protected, that goodness must conquer evil and – that while life is difficult and suffering a part of it – the goal is for eternal happiness with our Creator.

That he knew what he believed and never wavered was the touchstone that connected him with all peoples, whether they were of his faith or not. No one ever had any doubt as to where he stood on matters of life and salvation.

In this age of cynicism and decadence, the rarity of such steadfastness was what drew so many to him. He was a man of courage.

Was it his face and his eyes?

When I see any photograph of Pope John Paul, I'm struck by the kindness and the strength of his face and the clarity and beauty of his eyes. This is a man who has seen good and evil, happiness and sadness, health and illness, and still maintains the strength to live life to the fullest.

In fact, most people have never met Pope John Paul II although they've seen him in media. Perhaps they saw him at his regular audiences or at Vatican masses or waved during a parade. Yet his very being touched them and millions of people on this planet feel a connection to the man known as Pope John Paul II.

I'm told that in person he had a powerful strength of presence. His eyes saw into your soul. When he spoke, it was as though you were the only person present. His intensity and gentleness permeated his being.

His connection with the poor and the young was clear. To young people, he was the only pope they ever knew, he was the Holy Father – their father. For many young people today, perhaps their only father.

Karol Wojtyla was born to a simple Polish family. He lost his mother and brother when he was just a child; his father died when he was 21. He was an avid skier, playwright, poet, actor and philosophical writer, but it was not an easy existence. He worked in a quarry and his life was a struggle to follow his faith while living under the horrors of both Nazi and communist regimes. His life was in danger many times, especially when his Jewish friends were led to their deaths.

But his faith strengthened and sustained him then and through the years as he rose in the church until he was elected pope in October 1978. He was the first non-Italian pope in 450 years, the youngest pope in 100 years and became the most traveled pope.

He was instrumental in the fall of communism and opened the doors to other faiths. He traveled the road of sacrifice and love, holding to his principles and never wavering from the tenets of his religion. He was the most powerful religious figure of his time.

"God is great," and so was Karol Wojtyla as shepherd of his flock. They're calling him "John Paul the Great" for good reason. We've not heard the last of Pope John Paul II.