On top of all of the health troubles he has had, there is now this...

CNN BREAKING NEWS:
The pope's condition has deteriorated and he has a high fever, Vatican officials confirm to CNN. Details soon.

CNN Story

Title edited by bobby78751

[ April 21, 2005, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: bobby78751 ]

BREAKING NEWS Pope John Paul II has been given the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church as his health deteriorates, a Vatican source tells CNN.

BREAKING NEWS...they just announced The Pope has slipped into a coma. This, after they announced he had a heart attack late last evening. It does not look good for The Pope.

BREAKING NEWS...Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

BREAKING NEWS.....the Vikings still haven't won the Super Bowl.

BREAKING NEWS....The Pope has.....no, nevermind, it would not be appropriate to pull an April Fools joke here.

"They" didn't announce it. An Italian news agency did. Both the report of the coma and the report of the heart attack were denied by the Vatican. They do say he had heart failure, which is different from a heart attack.

Gotta say i am proud of the networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) for not going wall-to-wall with the Pope Death Watch. The news channels are obviously covering it to death (ok bad pun), but the nets are going with regular programming. That'll change when the Pope dies for sure.

Neither have the Eagles.

I agree. I guess they are all hung over from the Terri Schiavo coverage. Plus, the Pope is in Italy and not in self-centered idiot Amehrikuh so maybe that has something to do with it. Plus, there are anti-Catholics everywhere ("cough-cough" White House) and that could be playing into this, too.

The networks aren't going wall-to-wall because they can't afford it any more. It costs too much in ad money to dump their entertainment programming. Cable news outlets have no such problems. They live for whatever they can hype. And it's gotten out of hand...

joe - thanks for the link to the washington post editorial by howard kurtz - it sums things up pretty well.

CNN BREAKING NEWS
Vatican says pope's condition has worsened, breathing has become shallow. Details soon.

BREAKING NEWS....Kick's dog just piddled on the living room carpet. Details to follow.

BREAKING NEWS...I don't give a damn about the Pope's condition. May he die a slow, painful death and if there is such a place as Hell, may he find a nice front seat there. Right next to all those molesting priests his beloved Church has moved around and covered up for decades now...

Signed,
Evil Sanctity of Marriage Destroying Fag

[ April 01, 2005, 10:13 AM: Message edited by: dfwAggie99 ]

Well sorry but his death wasn't drawn out long enough for you. Italian news is reporting the Pope has died. No official confirmation from the Vatican.

BREAKING NEWS: If the above is correct, Italian mothers are urged to lock up their young boys what with the Cardinal Convergence that will occur like a bunch of frat boys looking for tail at Spring Break.

[ April 01, 2005, 10:46 AM: Message edited by: George_Twinsfan ]

You win some...you lose some.

From Drudgereport.com:

Italian media gave contradictory reports about Pope John Paul's vital signs on Friday, first saying his heart and brain activity had stopped and then reporting this was not true.

CNN BREAKING NEWS

AP: The Vatican denies reports in Italian media that Pope John Paul II has died.

BREAKING NEWS: I agree with Aggie.

More news: Lksimcoe STILL hasn't gotten any.

:mad: :mad:

but what about Falwell???

how dare those fish eating, altar boy screwing, pointy hat wearing Papists know his struggle, which he compared to Terri Schiavo, off the front page

BREAKING NEWS...CNN is reporting that the Vatican is reporting that the AP is reporting that FOX News is reporting that the clock's go ahead one hour this weekend.

Great stuff. This is Jay Leno type material.

Fox News, predictably, went with the Italian news agencies reports of the Pope's Death and Sheppard Smith went into this whole ordeal about now that the Pope has died, this and this and this will happen.


Way to go!

FOX is like the National Enquirer.

Though the views John Paul II espoused on all issues centering on sexuality were firmly based in the thinking of the Dark Ages and are anathematic to me, one remarkable, selfless, and transcendent act stands out above all else: when he forgave his would-be assassin. I believe we are at our humane best when we rise above ourselves and engage in forgiveness. To be reminded of that in such a palpable manner was remarkable moment of grace.

It doesn't change my opinion of His views on women, gays, or the Church's response/method of dealing with the global crime of church leaders abusing children, but we see so few moments of pure grace that I choose to celebrate it.

~Adam

Well it wasn't on FOX that I saw the report from the Italian news media. CNN was running it also, though they were at least saying they could not confirm the info. Sounds like the Italian news has a reporter named Danielo Ratherizzi.

As one old enough to recall the deaths of previous Popes, I find it fascinating how much information the Vatican is offering about John Paul II's condition. We knew when he had a feeding tube inserted--and what kind it was [nasal]--we knew of his urinary tract infection being treated with antibiotics, the sepsis, etc. Considering how secretive the Vatican is, this "glasnost" is something; I wonder whether they're trying to forestall the sort of conspiracy theories that arose following the sudden--and shrouded in secrecy--death of John Paul I.

Hell, we know more about his health than we do about Liza's! wink

~Adam

Yes, CNN also ran with the Italian media reports, but as you said they clearly said that they could not confirm and each of their reporters at the Vatican kept emphasizing to not take those as facts.

Fox got that and immediately pronounced him dead, said what a great life he had, what will happen now (the shutters will be shut, etc).

Thank you, Adam, for reminding me that, while I may strongly disagree with someone on myriad issues, it is possible, and in fact important, to acknowledge goodness and righteousness when it's present. Notwithstanding my TOTAL disagreement with the Pope's pronouncements about myself, my life as a gay man, and my relationship with my partner, personally it's important not to let those disagreements color my view of people to the point where I loose my humanity. What I'm babbling about is that lately, due to the increased attacks on the GLBT community from many fronts (including the Vatican), I've become sort of radicalized and dogmatic in my positions. When the Pope started to go south, I fell prey to the emotions articulated by my own partner and by many of the posters here at Outsports (i.e., he deserves to die, being happy about his physical state, etc. etc...) I never really felt comfortable saying or thinking these things, and it certainly never made me feel better. The Pope's unflinching oppostition to the death penalty and his condemnation of the capitalists (of which I'm a guilty member)for not doing much more to help the poor, positions for which I greatly admired him, did not seem to matter anymore: due to his position on us (a position which drove me from the church)I was happy that he was going, and had no compassion for how he went. Reading your post reminded me that it's ok to disagree with and oppose someone and at the same time recognize some good in that person.

Well if FOX said the Pope was dead, surely he must be deceased. FOX is never wrong.

Well FOX has Geraldo Rivera so hmmmm, I don't know, I'm not sure if I can get trustworthy information there. CNN is keeping me better informed right now. The reporter just told us viewers, "It could be any moment now".

[ April 02, 2005, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: amazin12 ]

It's official. He's dead.

rest in peace, JPII.

Note the time of this post, well after the official announcement.

Google News is still running the headline "Pope develops a fever."

Edited to make a change.

Whoops, it's the Juno homepage that hadn't caught up. It has now, saying, "Pope John Paul II dies."

[ April 02, 2005, 01:29 PM: Message edited by: twin58 ]

Sic semper tyrannus.......

How fitting that the two great late 20th century hypocrite/despots have died within twelve months of each other

Burn in hell, Karol baby.

off topic:

nice to see you wurm. welcum back! i suddenly remember outsports 2001.

on topic: rest in peace karol baby!

I would just hope to emphasize that the only way we can help the world to understand what it is like to be of the GLBT community, that we need to act like caring individuals.

Condemning a man to hell who has done much good for the world, despite not demonstrating any understanding of our community demonstrates an egocentrism that does not promote others taking an understanding of us.

The way to help others understand that being of the GLBT community is to be who God indeed made us, we need to get outside this egocentrism and show some respect for those things we may not understand ourselves.

So I say RIP, JPII. I hope that in by going to God you will now understand that we are made in the image of God just the same.

OK, I am sure I will burn in hell for this, but being a great big giant crazy HOMO, the Catholics already have a seat reserved for me, so here goes....Somebody PLEASE tell me this Pope Coverage won't affect the Final Four Coverage? PLEASE....

There, I said what everyone else is thinking.

GO GREEN....

Now if only Jerry Falwell would join JPII in death!

Fortunately the news media--anchors, reporters, and pundits--were able to segue from Terri Schiavo: DEATHWATCH 2005 to John Paul II: DEATHWATCH 2005 without skipping a beat or even changing their suits or facial expressions. Next, it'll be Prince Rainier: DEATHWATCH 2005 followed (perhaps to cleanse the system) by another in a long series of "Trials of the Century."

~Adam

Here we go again....the old "we should show respect even though they insult us and attack us and basically wish we were dead" argument.


Here's an odd question: why have all the news networks dropped their crawls? Is no other news going on? They were running them this morning. Why would they stop now?

JIP:

Not that I don't disagree that we should get pissed off at ignorance and spread of hate...

I just don't think "F**k the Pope" or "let him burn in hell" is doing anyone any good.

I believe Pope John Paul II did a lot of good in the world, and was a truly holy man. His position on homosexuality was wrong, but not evil.

Humanity faces great challenges, and if I have to live in a world that is not easy for me so that milions of people (including me) can benefit from the grace, dignity, and goodness of a leader on issues other than homosexuality, then so be it.

I have big shoulders. You need them to be gay in today's world. Pope John Paul II demonstrated courage, strength, compassion, forgiveness, and dignity in the face of difficult circumstances.

Seems to me he's a good example for all of us.

Rest in Peace, Holy Father.

Seeing the Pope's final days unfold was very painful. I disagreed completely with his positions on issues like contraception and, of course, homosexuality. But his beliefs were never rooted in evil or hatred, and the good that this man did for the poor, the downtrodden, the forgotten of our society far outweighed some of his anachronistic beliefs. I appreciated his steadfast stance against capital punishment, his teaching of forgiveness as the most profound liberation of the soul, and his embrace of liberation theology. Deep down, he was but a man, and as such was imperfect. His imperfection added to his stature, though. I went to church yesterday and prayed that the Pope's burden be lifted and his path home be eased, and so it has been. I hope those who revile him so can also find some peace now.

I go back and forth with this pope. On the one hand, he stood up against the Communist behemoth in Poland, and the pseudo-socialist in Cuba. On the other hand, he condemned gays and lesbians as "evil" and a "threat to the family" every chance he got, and actually promoted burning condoms rather than having them distributed in Africa to prevent HIV transmission. He apologized for the Catholic response to the Holocaust, and pushed for greater links with the other Christian churches, especially the sister Eastern Rite churches, yet championed an extreme right-wing lay group, Opus Dei, that is linked to some of the worst governments in recent Latin American history. He actively pushed to renew the faith of millions of Roman Catholics, and the church now has more than 1 billion adherents worldwide, and yet he did not speak out more forcefully on the sex abuse scandals, which have hit not only the US but Australia, Ireland and other nations, preferring to view them as an American problem, which has shaken the faith of countless communicants. He has spoken out against abortion, the death penalty, unjust war, and so on, yet early on his tenure disciplined and isolated archbishops who actively pressed a pro-poor liberation theology, and he did not overtly condemn some conservative Catholic leaders whose human rights records were abominable. The ranks of the priesthood are steadily dwindling, and he did not figure out a way to revive this essential HUMAN link to the laity. In parts of Latin America, the Catholic church is losing ground to evangelicals, though evangelism lies at the heart of the New Testament. John Paul II's authority and star power were undeniable; he had his good aspects, and horrible ones. A paradox, this pope. If one is a practicing Catholic, especially a gay or poor or female Catholic, one might ask for someone even better. I don't know if among the 120 or so candidates such a man exists, but perhaps he may. The Catholic Church could use him right now.

[ April 03, 2005, 01:17 PM: Message edited by: fantomas ]

Is it a sin to think that some of those young priests around the Vatican are pretty hot and potentially do-able?

Sorry MM but I need to disagree with you here. I feel these two statements contradict each other. His, and the chrch's stance on contraception is one of the most impactful reasons for poverty. I felt the same way when Mother Teresa died. By insisting these people not use contraception is making more and more children, many of which could be considered unwanted. Add that to the spreading of AIDS when condoms are not encouraged and, voila, mass poverty.

Good post, FT and my own mixed feelings exactly. Those things he supported and believed in he worked for intensely and was able to change; those he was against he worked against with equal fervor and kept as the status quo. The only thoughts I'd add to yours are purely Catholic ones: my own feelings of guilt over not being able to mourn him as others do because of what he didn't do for us gays. I wish I could feel his loss, but truth be told, I hardly do at all.

Although the Pope publicly embraced people suffering from AIDS, and in doing so may have generated some understanding and compassion, his uncompromising stand on the use of condoms has had tragic consequences, particularly in Africa where the influence of the Catholic church has been growing. I hope the next Pope may be more open-minded on this subject, and will condone the use of condoms as a means of preventing disease, rather than looking at them solely as 'contraceptive devices.'

I heard yesterday that the 'ideal age' for the next Pope would be about 70, implying that the Vatican wants to avoid another lengthy reign (John Paul II was 'only' 58 when he was elected in 1978).