Pope John Paul II Has Gone to His Heavenly Home with God 2:37 pm EST

BBC News Online World Edition ^ | April 1, 2005

[bd476]

April 2, 2005 7:25 a.m. PST Update

From Rome CBS Radio News: (rough transcription of update)

The Vatican has been transparent in allowing news media access to information about Pope John Paul II. Pope John Paul II is responsible for the change in how the Vatican views the media.

At this time, Pope John Paul II's condition is unchanged.

His heart and kidneys are failing. The Vatican said that this does not suggest that he is suffering.

He has a compromised state of consciousness, yet he is not in a comatose state.

He drifts in and out of consciousness. One Vatican source said that it appeared that the Pope is resting with his eyes shut.

Pope John Paul II has responded by opening his eyes when spoken to. He has also tried to speak in the past few hours.

An Aide assisted Pope John Paul II in writing a message to his beloved staff gathered in the Papal apartment. The Pope asked them not to be sad for him.

____________________

Special report live from CBS News at the Vatican April 2, 2005

(This is a rough transcript of the CBS news conference with the Italian translator and Vatican representative)

Substantially and varied (blood values?) very serious very grave

We hope to serve ... earlier initial state of consciousness AT 7:30 a.m. we celebrated of Mass with the Pope he is breathing, labored or slightly...

Pope had in mind young people...

This is difficult ...

Pope seemed to refer to young people when he repeatedly seemed to say "I've been looking for you and now you've come to me... "

We've been able to reconstruct what he said, this is what he said.

We have this update now for you until this evening...

I cannot confirm the particular rumors ... (inaudible)

Probably around 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. we will have another update for you...

He is not in a coma.

When we speak to him he opens his eyes.

He seems to be receptive.

We are not talking about coma here.

Question from media: Who is always present with the Pope?

Answer: Monsignor (inaudible) the other Secretary to the Holy Father the three Nuns of the Holy Father, his personal physician.

Thank you very much and we will see you later.

________________________

'Serious' Pope has heart failure

Pope John Paul II has suffered a cardiac arrest and is in a grave condition, the Vatican has announced.

The urgent communique came hours after the Pope's health worsened with a high fever caused by an infection.

"Following a urinary tract infection, septic shock and a cardiocirculatory collapse occurred," Vatican spokesman Navarro-Valls said in his statement.

The Pope was also given the last rites - the Catholic sacrament for the sick and dying, the spokesman said.

But he said the pontiff remained "conscious, lucid and tranquil".

The emergency department chief at Rome's Gemelli hospital said on Thursday the Pope would not be taken to hospital for the time being.

Some observers said this suggested it meant he was too weak to be moved at all.

Sombre mood

Small groups of faithful gathered at St Peter's Square in Rome to pray for the Pope's speedy recovery.

However, the mood in the Vatican is sombre, the BBC's David Willey in Rome reports.

Prelates are openly expressing pessimism about the possibility of the Pope ever resuming the guidance of his one billion-strong church, our correspondent says.

The pontiff is being fed through a nasal tube to aid his recovery from throat surgery last month.

The Pope had appeared briefly at the window of his Vatican apartment on Easter Sunday to bless the faithful, but was not able to speak.

It was the first time during his 26-year pontificate that the Pope delegated the main Easter ceremonies to his cardinals.

'Lost weight'

On Thursday afternoon, the Pope's temperature soared to 40 degrees C (104F), Italian media reported.

He developed breathing troubles and has difficulty in swallowing as a result of the progress of Parkinson's Disease, an incurable condition from which he has been suffering for nearly a decade.

Since his throat surgery, he has lost about 19 kg (42 lb), Father Hejmo said, which leaves him more vulnerable to infections.

The Pope's private doctor Renato Buzzetti is in charge of his medical treatment in his private apartment at the Vatican.

So far this year the Pope has had two spells in hospital where he received treatment for breathing problems and underwent an operation on his throat.

[lainie]

ooh, I got the bad number, and I said something mean in it. Oh well.. I now close my heart to evil, if you-know-who's trying to make his mark that way. Ain't gonna go through me today. And Mahoney deserves worse besides. :-)

(thanks, b.d.)

I don't know where Mahoney went wrong.

[PhiKapMom]

CNN's reporters are assigned to the Vatican all the time and several of them travel with the Pope wherever he goes. They have been impressive in explaining what is happening.

Lauri Due bugs me on a regular day!

[bd476]

Thank you Onyx. Those are beautiful. It's hard to believe that I recognized Pope Paul. It seems like yesterday.

[BurbankKarl]

666 Rogmajal ping

Well, when you have a Cardinal that drains the parishes in the diocese of their money for years to build himself a Cathedral, you have ill-will.

I have never seen images of that Cathedral "full", save for the LAFD firefighter memorial....Midnight Mass and Easter were both half full.

[PhiKapMom]

I never bothered to check MSNBC -- I forgot all about them. It does make a big difference that the CNN reporters are at the Vatican daily.

[areafiftyone]

Lauri DUH is just eyecandy. I hate when they pose Barbie eye candy on news stations.

[PhiKapMom]

Almost makes me want to go outside and see if the sky is still blue!

[areafiftyone]

Its been such a strange and sad week. I suspect the weekend will be too.

[PhiKapMom]

You and me both -- I want reporters with brains! I must say that one Italian reporter from CNN is knowledgeable and good looking.

[areafiftyone]

Yes I don't care what they look like if they can report and give me the news and do their homework I am satisfied and will watch them.

[ruoflaw]

OK, now Amanpour is really hard to take. LOL

[conservativebabe]

I was thinking the same thing. Might be getting close to time to search elsewhere. LOL!

[TonyInOhio]

Italian reporter from CNN is knowledgeable and good looking.

Let's see - Italian, knowledgeable, and good looking. The closest we can come is Maria Bartiromo:

Unfortunately, she a Kerry Voter. 'Nuff said. :)

[BaBaStooey]

Laurie is in Rome? I'm at work so I haven't been watching TV (other than EWTN over the Internet).

I didn't think Laurie ever left the news update desk in NYC.

[bd476]

Update from BBC News UK Edition: Friday, 1 April, 2005, 20:26 GMT 21:26 UK

Awaiting news of the Pope

By Peter Gould BBC News, Rome



The sun is setting in St Peter's Square and the faithful have been waiting and watching for hours.



Anxious followers packed the areas around the Vatican

All day their eyes have been scanning the windows of the Pope's apartment.

For nearly 27 years John Paul II has appeared at these windows to bless the crowds gathered below.

Today the curtains have not moved and the people down below are thinking of the man they cannot see.

The crowd is subdued and there is concern etched on many faces.

Throughout the day there has been an air of sadness and resignation. The crowd has heard the medical bulletins indicating the steady worsening of the Pope's condition.

Even the tourists who have come here to see St Peter's Basilica and the treasures of the Vatican museum seem affected by the mood and reluctant to leave.

Talk and questions

There is a sense of being present at a moment of history.

The Catholic Church is witnessing the passing of a pope, a man some are already calling John Paul the Great.

The death of a pope is an event of great significance, and not just for the Catholic world

People hold radios to their ears listening to the news and it is not good.

One man scans the Pope's windows with high-powered binoculars, perhaps hoping for a sign.

As the sun sinks behind the Basilica and the clouds turn a delicate shade of pink, the lamps are switched on in St Peter's Square.

A light comes on in one of the Pope's windows, then another.

What is going on inside people are wondering.

There is talk among the many journalists of this now being a waiting game.

With many hundreds of cameras now trained on the Pope's windows, the media interest may appear a little morbid.

But there is a recognition that the death of a pope is an event of great significance, and not just for the Catholic world.

The pope is more than just a spiritual leader of one billion people, some say he is a moral voice in a troubled world.

Confusion

It is now almost dark in St Peter's Square and more and more people are joining the vigil.

There are not just pilgrims here for Holy Week, or less religiously minded tourists ticking off the sights in their guide books. Many of the silent watchers are Romans - John Paul II is not just the head of the Catholic Church here, he is bishop of their city.

After gazing at the Pope's window sadly for several minutes, a middle-aged woman standing next to me makes the sign of the Cross and walk quietly away into the darkness.

Then, at about 2030 Rome time, a rumour quickly spreads that the Pope has died.

More and more people file into the square.

But instead of the official announcement of the Pope's death that some had been expecting, the crowd was asked to recite a decade of the Rosary.

Then, with no more word on the Pope's health, some quietly leave the square.

But many remain behind, praying for the Pope.

Awaiting news of the Pope

[PhiKapMom]

Christine Amanpour is talking about the Vatican is saying the Pope is getting ready to surrender himself to the Almighty. St. Peter's Square is almost silent.

I am not sure that the sky is blue after listening to her report from the scene -- she is not relating her experiences covering the Pope.

[PhiKapMom]

This is a guy! He is very good looking and one of the CNN reporters from Rome. He is very Italian with an accent.

[AmericanInTokyo]

The La Repubblica paper in Rome is quoting, of all people, AL JAZEERA who are stating that the Pope has died. I also heard on the all news station in Italian I am streaming right now that Al JAZEERA's report is being picked up and relayed elsewhere, too. I don't know what their source is, al Jazeera of all people. Maybe it is wishful thinking.

At any rate, this is the photo the al-Jazeera is carrying right now, top story. (www.aljazeera.net) in Arabic:

[proud American in Canada]

"I know the feeling -- I never thought I would see the day that I picked Judy Woodruff over Fox but today is that day. Like you, I cannot believe I typed that."

LOL. Even worse, Christiane Amanpour's report was interesting! Normally listening to her is like listening to nails on a chalkboard. :)

[areafiftyone]

Oh she has a couple of times. I'm not sure where she's been but I remember her reporting from a couple of places. But she is still dull as dishwater!