Birte has expressed it perfectly. The Catholic Church is desperately in need of "miracles" in these times of empty churches and growing scandals, they are losing too much power worldwide because of their refusal to see the signs of the times, and their aloofness to the situation of the poor, so all they can come up with is the beatification of John Paul II. Julius Caesar gave the Romans Bread and Circus (Panem et Circenses), the Vatican gives us new saints.
Having said this, I must also add that I really liked Pope John Paul II and that he'll make just as good a Saint as anybody.