Pope John Paul II

Could you all keep a good thought
or say a prayer for Pope John Paul II.
Reports coming out of Rome aren't
sounding very good.

Maggie

 

Absolutely! I just got an email update in..DR'.s are considering a tracheotomy.

 

Errrr forgive me for asking, but could you fill me in on what that means?http://forums.majorgeeks.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

Will definitely be in my prayers though...

 

Along with simply being very old, he's got advanced ParkInson's Disease. He got hit by the flu, hard, which almost killed him recently, and has had a relapse. Trach would be to help him breathe, which is not a good sign.

I'm not Catholic, but he's in my prayers. I've been wondering for a while now how much longer he can hang on. And the wrangling and change in the church's philosophy after he's gone may not be a good thing for the church.

 

Well, he is 84 and has had a number of bouts of poor health but I wonder why he doesn't retire? or retire at around 65?

 

Traditionally in the Catholic Church, The Holy Father will serve
until his death. However, down through the centuries, events
may have occured in which that did not happen.

Maggie

 

well I went a googled it, and up to this time, never ever, has there been a pope, that's retired........

.... Pope John Paul II has writen a law, that alows a pope to stand down, and retire....but, he has not done so........wobbles

 

Wobbles,

Thanks for finding out more information about whether a Pope has ever
retired and the law that the current Pope wrote!

Maggie

 

As a Roman Catholic(lapsed) I would imagine that if anyone had a lock on Heaven it would be the Pope. I would imagine his demise would be cause for celebration.

 

The church is concerned that a Pope "emeritus" still living and a sitting Pope could lead to a schism in the church, according to a cardinal that was interviewed on the radio (BBC , if I remember right ). Seems kind of farfetched to me, but the politics of the Vatican can be intricate.

 

Hmmm, what happens if he lapsed into a coma for several months/years or becomes a person in a vegetative state?

Apparently, Pope's can abdicate and the last to do so was in the middle ages.

 

I am a cradle Catholic and I can tell you this Pope has been one of the most beloved of all time. Did you know that the Apostle Peter was the first Pope!

 

I did not know that!