John Paul I, the guy who served for a month in 1978, was also a cigarette smoker. As far as I know, John Paul II, the Polish guy in between, didn't smoke.

When I was in the seminary in the 1960's, we could get cigarettes at discount at the seminary bookstore - but not as cheap as they were when I was in the U.S. Army in the 1970's (13 cents a pack).

Personally, I think it might be good to have a pope with a few bad habits. It might tend to bring out the humanity in him.

-Joe Offer-