World War II and three popes Filip Mazurczak, Catholic World Report Wednesday, September 11, 2019 Amidst the bloody darkness of the Second World War, which began eighty years ago this month, Angelo Roncalli, Karol Wojtyła, and Joseph Ratzinger were remarkable examples of compassion, integrity, and heroism. © 2023 The Catholic Thing. All rights reserved. For reprint rights, write to: [email protected] The Catholic Thing is a forum for intelligent Catholic commentary. Opinions expressed by writers are solely their own.