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I feel kinda bad because I was thinking of making this same thread and making it an april fools joke... sorry
Posts: 312 | Registered: Mar 2004
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In the tradition of Generalissimo Francisco Franco ( remember SNL in the early days?) and Yasser Arafat, can we expect "he's dead" "he's not dead" updates now?
Edited to add: He can't be dead, they haven't broken into my ABC soaps with a new flash yet.
P.S. this is not intended to be insulting to Catholics, just a commentary on the news from someone in the news business.
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The BBC site seems confident he's still alive, and CBC says the same. I think they're waiting on a confirmed source...
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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It's going to be an interesting night at work ... I work at a newspaper. Last night the news editor was going to design two front pages in case the Pope passed away before press time.
Tonight, the editor may have to do that. I think that may be one reason I don't want to do the front page - too much responsibility.
Posts: 2034 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Well, I feel bad for jumping the gun, I should have held off a bit.
Do you want me to delete this one, and we can just keep posting on the Pope Given Last Rites thread? Or should I leave this one as a place for us to discuss the news as it comes out?
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I'm watching the coverage on Fox, right now they are showing still photographs of the Pope with people all over the world.
There is such a beautiful countenance on his face when he embraces these people - something about him radiates love.
They have been talking about what he has said about his late hours - he wanted nutrition and hydration, but no electronic monitoring and he declined to go to the hospital today. He wanted to spend his last moments in his own apartments surrounded by people who love him and with prayer.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote: With the pope, there is a well-defined procedure for what to do when he dies.
Ron was talking about this. Is it true that they are supposed to call his name loudly a few times, and whack him in the head after his death is confirmned? Some sort of tradition?
I feel badly for the guy. It won't be long. Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote: Is it true that they are supposed to call his name loudly a few times, and whack him in the head after his death is confirmned? Some sort of tradition?
quote: When the Pope dies, the Cardinal Camerlengo (currently Eduardo Cardinal Martinez Somalo) must verify the death, traditionally by calling the Pope three times by his name without response. He must then authorize a death certificate and make the event public by notifying the Cardinal Vicar for the Diocese of Rome (currently Camillo Cardinal Ruini). The Camerlengo then seals the Pope's private apartments. He would also arrange for the "ring of the fisherman" and the papal seal to be broken. He then makes preparations for the Papal funeral rites, the novemdieles, the nine days of mourning.
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What are they going to do if the Pope can be kept alive a la Terry Shiavo? Don't they need a Pope who is, you know, active?
Posts: 866 | Registered: Dec 2003
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That doesn't seem likely. His organs are failing, and he's having severe cardiac problems. Schiavo was relatively physically healthy.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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Even though he's had a long run and it's his time, and the fact that I'm now agnostic, I'm still sad. I was raised Catholic and have a certain amount of nostalgia for it... and John Paul II has been the only Pope I've known.
It will be interesting to see the Vatican infrastructure at work around Conclave though. I find it interesting how the Chamberlain becomes the governor of the Church when they are between Popes. Makes sense considering the Chamberlain, while not having any real office of power (except when the Pope dies), has been around the Pope for years and years and knows how things work and probably what the late Pope would want things.
Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004
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