to the vatican? >> the swiss guard is not associated with the government of switzerland at all. you basically apply and then it's a competitive kind of process to get in and get accepted. >>alisyn: you ended up protecting and actually befriending john paul ii. i read that you said he was the most fully human person you ever met in your life. what does that mean? >> when i went to the vatican, i wasn't particularly practicing my catholic faith. i grew up in -- i'm a cradle catholic but like many people i didn't quite practice the faith fully. in a way that was a blessing because i got to know him, to meet him just as a, you know, man to man, if you wish. he was quite a bit older than me, of course. so when i started to interact with him, i just had this huge impression of