The pageantry and pomp of the Pope’s funeral this past week trumped the usually favored ceremonious tradition of choice — the happenings of England’s royal family.

Prince Charles’ marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles consecrating years of hidden love, separation and infidelity finally happened Saturday afternoon after being preempted for Pope John Paul the 2nd funeral Friday.

Over two million mourners poured into the streets for the Pope’s funeral and to pay their last respects.

He was a man whose talk matched his walk. He stood steadfast in his faith and refused to compromise traditional principles to become “more relevant”.

He prayed four hours a day, but he was not disconnected from the world. He was an intellectual who spoke eight languages and an adventurer who traveled to 129 countries.

He was a rock in his faith and a servant to the world whose death sparked mass reverence for his life and mourning for our collective loss.

Across Europe, Prince Charles and his long-time love Camilla sealed the knot. All it cost them was two marriages, four children in broken homes, public humiliation and private pain. They sacrificed heart and dignity in a selfish affair.

Prince Charles and Camilla are finally united in marriage and the question remains, does “true love” justify any and all behavior?

Why does selfish and destructive behavior occur in the name of love? Marriage is supposed to be the crowning picture of love, but this marriage is a modern distortion of egocentric grasps for fulfillment.

The Pope’s steadfast and selfless commitment to people and his firm dedication to principle founded on faith is a more complete portrait of love.

Despite embracing “modernism” in issues of divorce, remarriage and infidelity, the British find their prince to be increasingly irrelevant. Maybe he is a “nice guy” who made mistakes, but he does not inspire the populace. They don’t care anymore. The vapid shallow appearance of this royal Prince’s life doesn’t encourage his people.

Prince Charles was born into the spotlight, but he has managed to squander his position as a leader.

More Britons watched the Grand National Bandstand (a horse race), then the televised coverage of the royal wedding. It is a far cry from the miles of cheering crowds in 1981 when Prince Charles married Princess Diana.

Prince Charles’ illicit affair with Camilla during his marriage to Diana and the cold treatment she received from the royal family stained his image.

Royalty in Britain is like a more incredible form of American celebrity. Prince Charles is a celebrity and a leader who has the ability to set an example and high standards for his country or to contribute to the moral decline.

Morally weak leaders can uplift or they can dishearten their people. Mass attendance is down for American Catholics after child molestation charges rocked the public image of the church. The leaders wasted their position and power.

However, around the world, particularly in South America and Africa, Catholicism flourished as they looked to Pope John Paul II as the leader of the faith

Why was the Pope so popular, especially with young people who typically rebel against tradition? He modeled consistency while others modeled contradictions.

In this world people are not looking for moral relativism, they are looking for a moral compass. They are looking for something to believe in and leaders who inspire them. It’s a lonely road without with out a guide or a map. The pope was that light to billions across the world, not just to Catholics, but as a representation to all faiths.

The media loved the Pope when he championed human rights and social justice and opposed war.

However, when he stood firm against homosexuality, abortion and the ordainment of women he was declared out of touch and resistant to progression.

The media also pursued any scrap of gossip or information on Prince Charles with unrelenting and sometimes ruthless obsession.

In the end, the people were able to distinguish for themselves the difference between a man who handled power with humility and reverence and the self absorbed Prince.

Obviously Britain’s royal family and the Catholic Church have to make certain adjustments through time.

The people will look to their leaders and while Catholicism’s influence flourished under a great man, the monarchy’s influence continues to diminish under a weak one.

Send comments to Amanda at [email protected].