Pope brushes aside illness fears
A frail but determined Pope John Paul led his general audience today and, brushing aside any suggestions he is cutting back, announced that, “God willing,” he will travel to a shrine in Pompeii next week.
Following alarm over a cardinal’s remarks that the pope was in “bad” shape, another top prelate insisted the 83-year-old pontiff, who has Parkinson’s disease, has no intention of stepping down, as did an Italian author who helped the pontiff write a best-selling book.
Last week, the pope skipped his traditional weekly audience because of what the Vatican described as a mild intestinal ailment.
Today, John Paul looked alert and spirited throughout his two hour appearance during a muggy morning in St. Peter’s Square.
After an hour dedicated to reciting prayers and giving speeches in several languages, John Paul spent another hour greeting a stream of faithful brought up to his throne-like chair on the steps of St Peter’s Basilica.
He hugged a pair of smiling little girls with fabric flowers in their hair, like an affectionate grandfather he patted the head of a wide-eyed baby held before him, and he examined with attention objects like medals that the faithful gave to him.
“God willing,” he said, on October 7 he will journey to Pompeii, near Naples, to pray at a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Comments by a close papal aide, German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, that the pope was in a “bad” way raised concerns the pope’s health might have deteriorated beyond his obvious frailty and difficulty in speaking and walking.
Cardinal Jorge Medina, a Chilean who works at the Vatican, said he had no information to indicate that the pope was gravely ill.
“Nothing makes one think that he is reflecting on the possibility of resigning,” Medina said.
“The pope is affected by his health, however, not to the point that he can not carry out the most important acts of governing” the Roman Catholic Church, Medina added.
Vittorio Messori, who helped John Paul write his best-selling Crossing the Threshold of Hope, said the pope’s decision to continue in the papacy was “irrevocable.”’
The possibility of resignation is “a closed subject,” Messori said.
John Paul follows doctors’ prescribed treatments but will not heed their advice to slow down, Messori said.
The pope will have little time to rest before heading to Pompeii, a small town built alongside the ruins of the ancient Roman city.
On Saturday, he holds talks at the Vatican with the Archbishop of Canterbury. On Sunday, in St Peter’s Square, he celebrates Mass in which he will raise three missionaries to sainthood.
Other stamina-testing public appearances on his calendar are: October 16, there will be an evening Mass marking the 25th anniversary of his election as pope,October 19 the beatification of Mother Teresa, and October 21, a ceremony for new cardinals the pope named on Sunday.
