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Pope Vows to Continue His Mission
Pope Appears at Hospital Window, Vows to Continue His Mission Despite Age, Medical Problems.
By VICTOR L. SIMPSON Associated Press Writer

VATICAN CITY Feb 6, 2005 — Pope John Paul II, determined to show the faithful he is recovering from his latest health crisis, appeared in an open hospital window Sunday and vowed to continue his mission despite his age and mounting medical troubles.

It was the first public glimpse of John Paul since his hospitalization five days earlier, which rekindled questions about his ability to carry on. He gave his usual brief blessing, but his words, in a gravely voice, were barely understandable.

In a message read out by an archbishop, the frail 84-year-old pope looking rested and alert gave thanks for the prayers and affection he has received since being rushed to Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic on Tuesday with breathing troubles brought on by the flu.

On St. Peter's Square, where several thousand people gathered to see the pope on four giant video screens, cheers went up as his image appeared. When the pope is well, he gives his weekly blessing from a Vatican window overlooking the square.

"To all and each of you I assure you of my gratitude, which is translated into a constant invocation of the Lord according to your intentions as also for the needs of the church and the great issues of the world," the pope said in remarks read in Italian by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, a Vatican official from Argentina.

"Thus, also in this hospital, in the middle of other sick people to whom my affectionate thoughts go out, I can continue to serve the church and the entire humanity.

"May the expression of my gratitude for the sincere and heartfelt affection reach all of you, dear brothers and sisters, and to all those in every part of the world who are close to me, something which during these days I felt in a particularly intense way."

For at least a decade, John Paul has had Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder which hampers proper muscle functioning and which could have played a role in the throat spasms that made it difficult for him to breathe. He also suffers from crippling hip and knee ailments.

The pope expressed his gratitude to the medical staff attending him, saying he was "being helped with loving care by doctors, nurses and health workers whom I thank from my heart."

He also spoke out anew against abortion, urging people to "trust in the life that children who are not yet born silently cry out for."

"So many children, who are without families for various reasons, are asking for trust so that they can find a house that will accept them through adoption and temporary care," the pope said.

Hospital workers watched with teary eyes as the pope sat quietly while the message was read, then gave his blessing. Others shouted "Viva il Papa!" ("Long Live the Pope!").

Domenico Neri, an Italian patient, came out in his pajamas for the papal blessing.

"I was very moved," Neri, who was hospitalized for high blood pressure shortly before the pope was admitted, said with tears in his eyes. "I feel so sorry for him. He's an old person with so much responsibility on his shoulders."

Pilgrims gathered Sunday outside the hospital, where a group of about 20 students from Spain stood vigil.

"We came today to pray with the pope, because he needs our prayers to make him feel better," said Blanca Bertran De Lis, a 17-year-old from the Spanish city of Toledo. "When young people are with him, he feels happier."

Leigh Allbrook from Auburn, Ala., said, "We came here today to get his blessing and give him ours."

Police tightened security around the hospital before the pope's brief appearance, posting snipers on the roof over his 10th-floor suite as officers checked trash bins and patrolled with bomb-detecting dogs.

The Vatican repeatedly has said the pope was improving but provided few concrete details of his day-to-day progress.

"It has been an intense moment for me to see that the Holy Father is already doing better. I am happy for him," Cardinal Camillo Ruini, president of the Italian Bishops Conference and papal vicar for Rome, told the ANSA news agency at St. Peter's.

"Many non-Catholics pray for the pope, and this is proof of the great good that the pope has done and does to the whole of humanity."

Rory Conneely of Dublin, Ireland, who also was watching a screen at the square, said, "It's always very moving. It's so sad he's coming to the end of his life."

Link: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=475285&page=1

Is the Pope Still in Charge?
Vatican loyalists concede that the Pope's workload has been delegated to top subordinates
By JEFF ISRAELY

Pope John Paul II appears to be recovering after being hospitalized last week with a respiratory infection, the result of a bout with the flu. But his latest health scare has revived a heavy question hovering over St. Peter's Square: Who is really running the show?

Despite his physical frailties brought on by Parkinson's disease, his collaborators say John Paul, 84, is mentally alert and capable of making big calls on the direction of the Roman Catholic Church. But even the most steadfast Vatican loyalists concede that a substantial chunk of his workload has been delegated to top subordinates in Rome. A senior Vatican official told TIME, "Things that the Pope would have handled personally in the past are more and more being entrusted to aides." Some duties, such as signing major encyclicals and apostolic letters, cannot be handed off to others. But Vatican insiders say the Pope has now given the green light to the heads of dicasteries to handle their own business virtually without oversight.

"He is still the head of the church," said a priest based in Rome.

"But he's more of a figurehead. He's not making the day-to-day decisions anymore." Insiders say the Pope, for example, increasingly rubber-stamps the recommendations of Giovanni Battista Cardinal Re, head of the Congregation for Bishops, who submits names for each new bishop to be appointed.

Still, few insiders expect that his latest health problems make it any more likely that the Pope will step down. "If John Paul were going to resign, it would have already happened," says Rome-based Jesuit Father Keith Pecklers. "He identifies with the mystery of Christ's suffering."

Link: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1025083,00.html

Pope Appears at Hospital Window to Bless Crowds
by Sabina Castelfranco.

A large crowd of pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square Sunday in the hope of seeing the pope on a large video screen hooked up to his hospital room. The pope has been at Gemelli hospital since Tuesday with a bad flu.

At noon, the pope appeared at the window of the hospital with one of his aides. The crowds rejoiced and cheered.

Pope John Paul appeared rested, and not much different from the way pilgrims are used to seeing him. One of the pope's aides read his Sunday message to those gathered in the square and at the hospital.

In the message, the pope thanked hospital staff for their assistance, and the pilgrims for their prayers and affection. He said he would continue to carry out his mission, serving the church and the whole of humanity.

Then in a hoarse voice, the pope blessed the crowd.

The weakness of his voice was evident, and many realized that his speech difficulties may now have taken a turn for the worse. Pilgrims asked themselves whether he will be able to read his messages again, when he returns to the Vatican.

Nevertheless, they were relieved to see him, and the crowd broke out in applause after he spoke.

It was the first time since Sunday that the pope has appeared in public. Some said he is strong, and will recover, as he has done in the past.

"He looked weak, but that is expected, if you have a fairly serious illness. We just keep praying that he will recover," said Greg Liebes, a seminarian from Chicago, who was in the crowd.

It is unclear when the pope will return to the Vatican. The papal spokesman has been reassuring about the pope's health, saying it is improving steadily.

He said earlier this week the pope would stay in the hospital for at least a week. A new medical bulletin on the pope's condition is expected on Monday.

Link: http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-02-06-voa16.cfm

Pope vows to continue 'to serve the church'

CTV.ca News Staff

The Pope blessed a large crowd of faithful from the open 10th floor window at Rome's Gemelli hospital, giving the world the first public glimpse of the ailing religious leader since he was rushed to hospital.

He spoke only a few words but in a statement read out by an archbishop, the frail, 84-year-old  pope gave thanks for the prayers wishing for his speedy recovery and vowed to continue his mission.

Several thousand gathered outside the window applauding and cheering "Viva il Papa" or "Long live the Pope" as his image appeared on four giant video screens.

"There was a lot of energy in the crowd moments before the Pope actually appeared in that window with his paper in hand and then you could hear a pin drop ... because while he had the paper in hand, he was clearly unable, not strong enough to read from it," CTV's Lisa LaFlamme reported from Vatican City.

She said that after he spoke a total of 12 words, including the blessing and "thank you", the crowd began muttering that the pope did not seem well.

LaFlamme added: "This is clearly a man who has never tried to hide his suffering and it was in fact his face, the icon of pain today, and I think a lot of people realized that he is not as strong as they had hoped he would be."

His short blessing followed a statement read in Italian by an archbishop.

"Also in this hospital, in the middle of other sick people to whom my affectionate thoughts go out, I can continue to serve the church and the entire humanity," the pope in remarks read by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, a Vatican official from Argentina.

"Today I speak to you from the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic where I have been for a few days, being helped with loving care by doctors, nurses and health workers whom I thank from my heart," the pope's message said.

"May the expression of my gratitude for the sincere and heartfelt affection reach all of you, dear brothers and sisters, and to all those in every part of the world who are close to me, something which during these days I felt in a particularly intense way," he said.

The pope also spoke out against abortion -- and urged people to "trust in the life that children who are not yet born silently cry out for."

"So many children, who are without families for various reasons, are asking for trust so that they can find a house that will accept them through adoption and temporary care," his message said.

Tightened security around the hospital was evident with snipers on the roof, officers checking garbage cans and patrolling with bomb-sniffing dogs.

LaFlamme reported he will likely be released from hospital on Tuesday or Wednesday. However, he will be unable to participate in Ash Wednesday services this coming week.

There was talk that the Pope may undergo an angioplasty, but he is still not strong enough to go through with it, LaFlamme said.

The background

The Pope first became ill last Sunday when he contracted influenza. By Tuesday evening, he developed what Vatican officials described as a "breathing crisis."

Quite suddenly, he was taken to Gemelli Polyclinic, the hospital where he was treated after a 1981 assassination attempt.

The Vatican said the following: "The flu which the Holy Father was suffering for three days this evening became complicated by an acute laryngeal tracheitis and larynx spasm crisis.

Tracheitis is an inflammation of the trachea. It requires hospital treatment, usually by way of a breathing tube to keep the airway clear.

A complicating factor for the Pope is that he suffers from Parkinson's disease, a chronic, progressive brain ailment.

But the Pope has two factors on his side, says Italian cardiologist Attilio Maseri, who has treated the Pope before.

"He has exceptional cardiovascular function, guided by exceptional willpower," Maseri, now based in Milan's San Raffaele hospital, said on state TV early Thursday.

"If he overcomes the respiratory problems he's suffering, he'll certainly be able to go back doing what he was doing before," Maseri said.

With a report from CTV's Lisa LaFlamme and files from Associated Press

Link: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1107695171724_35/?hub=TopStories

Pope gives blessing from hospital

ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Pope John Paul II, in a voice weakened by a respiratory infection, has delivered a blessing to a crowd gathered outside his hospital.

Just before the pope's blessing, an archbishop read the pontiff's Sunday morning message to the world.

The the 84-year-old pontiff, appearing at an open window at Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic hospital, thanked the faithful for their prayers.

"To all and each of you I assure you of my gratitude, which is translated into a constant invocation of the Lord according to your intentions as also for the needs of the church and the great issues of the world," the pope said in remarks read in Italian by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri.

"Thus, also in this hospital, in the middle of other sick people to whom my affectionate thoughts go out, I can continue to serve the church and the entire humanity," he said.

The pope has been hospitalized since Tuesday night but aides have said his condition has improved each day since.

On Saturday, a delegation of Catholic bishops met with the pontiff and later told reporters that he appeared to feeling better and he was eager to return to work.

Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls earlier confirmed that the pope's latest health crisis had stabilized, and that there was a "favorable evolution" of the breathing troubles he suffered earlier in the week.

But he will not meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice when she visits the Vatican Tuesday, U.S. sources said. Instead, Rice will meet with Vatican officials Cardinal Angelo Sodano and Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo to discuss peace in the Middle East and religious freedom in Iraq.

The Vatican has tried to play down the latest health crisis.

"All he's got is the flu, which has become dangerous because of the Parkinson's," Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who heads the Vatican's Congregation of Bishops, told the newspaper Corriere della Sera. "But now the danger is over."

The pope, who suffers from a number of chronic ailments, including Parkinson's disease, last appeared in public a week ago.

His health has been steady in recent months, and he looked in better health than during the summer and fall of 2003, when his trips to Croatia and Slovakia appeared to take a heavy toll on the frail pontiff.

The last time the pope canceled an event was September 2003, when he had an intestinal ailment.

The pope has undergone nine operations -- including a hip replacement -- and survived an assassination attempt.

His illness has reopened debate about whether popes should retire instead of reigning for life. No pope has abdicated since the 15th century. (Full story)

Link: http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/02/06/pope.health/

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