Born Karol Jozef Wojtyla in 1920, the man who later become known as John Paul II was the first Polish pope to lead the Roman Catholic Church. From 1978 until 2005, he proved an energetic leader who was unafraid to involve the papacy in the politics of the world outside the Vatican. People of all religions applauded his sense of humanity and his ability to engage the public. The world grieved after his death in 2005 but was also inspired and encouraged by his successor, Benedict XVI. Previously known as Joseph Alois Ratzinger, Benedict XVI was born in Germany in 1927. As head of the church's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he occasionally proved controversial because of his strict enforcement of church teachings. Like John Paul II, however, Benedict XVI promises to be a dynamic force within the Vatican and an enthusiastic Keeper of the Faith.