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Aide: Rumors About Pope's Health "Baseless" (French Newspaper Questions Pontiff's Vitality)
ZNA ^ | April 27, 2008

Posted on 04/28/2008 7:16:25 AM PDT by NYer

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 27, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Rumors suggesting that Benedict XVI's health is failing are "baseless," confirmed the Vatican.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said this in statements to the press after the French newspaper Le Figaro published an article Saturday that raised questions regarding the Pontiff's health. The report also speculated on future successors to the papacy.

The spokesman said the article's assertions, published less than one week after the Pontiff ended his five-day apostolic trip to the United States, were "paradoxical.”

“Benedict XVI is well and it is paradoxical that doubts about his health are being manufactured precisely after his return from his demanding trip [to the U.S.], during which his schedule was not lightened in any way, and given the obvious joy with which the Pope responded to the welcome he received,” he said.

“It is curious that the doubts about the Pope’s health emerged in a moment in which everything proved that they had no basis,” Father Lombardi added.

On his April 15-20 trip to the United States the Pope followed an intense schedule that included delivering 19 speeches and homilies in five days.

Le Figaro's assertions were based on reports that Benedict XVI appeared tired as he celebrated Mass April 19 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, and that after the ceremony he was helped by aides so as "to not trip under the great weight of the liturgical vestments.”

Father Lombardi responded, “Any priest who celebrates with very heavy and long vestments is helped so that he does not trip on the stairs of the altar.”

The French newspaper also observed that the Pope didn't hold a general audience on the Wednesday after his return to Rome following trip so he could rest. The Vatican spokesman said the audience had been canceled two months before the trip to the United States, and that "the necessity of rest after a trip across the ocean is completely obvious, as anyone who has had to change time zones knows well."


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events
KEYWORDS: benedict; pope

1 posted on 04/28/2008 7:16:26 AM PDT by NYer
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To: Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...

And so it begins. How many journalists questioned JPII’s vitality over the years; he outlived most of them.


2 posted on 04/28/2008 7:17:45 AM PDT by NYer (Jesus whom I know as my Redeemer cannot be less than God. - St. Athanasius)
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To: NYer

RATZ: HOW ARE YOU SATAN!!
RATZ: ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US.
RATZ: I HAVE A CHANCE TO SURVIVE GOD MAKE MY TIME.
RATZ: HA HA HA HA...

3 posted on 04/28/2008 7:23:05 AM PDT by RichInOC (SATAN: WHAT YOU SAY!!)
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To: NYer
I think the Pope is doing well. He'll probably live to 100 and be lively the whole time.
However, if the Pope can't make it, we do have a possible successor looking for a new job after January.
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4 posted on 04/28/2008 7:23:34 AM PDT by Clear Rivers
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To: NYer
On his April 15-20 trip to the United States the Pope followed an intense schedule that included delivering 19 speeches and homilies in five days.

Le Figaro's assertions were based on reports that Benedict XVI appeared tired as he celebrated Mass April 19 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, and that after the ceremony he was helped by aides so as "to not trip under the great weight of the liturgical vestments."

A trip like the Pope's would be exhausting to ANYBODY, the adjustment to the time change alone is difficult.

The other thing to remember is that popes are elected for life, eventually they will die and the Church has ALWAYS been able to handle this.

5 posted on 04/28/2008 7:26:22 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: NYer
Imagine that! An 82 year old man feels tired! Duh!

So what?

It seems to really bug the secular media that we don't surplus our octogenarians to old folks' homes to wait for death and instead have some virile 50 year old run the ship.

The Pope is as sharp as a tack and as wise as Solomon. Doing 20 push-ups each morning isn't part of the Papal job description.

6 posted on 04/28/2008 7:54:47 AM PDT by marshmallow
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To: NYer

Exactly. I hope he has a good food taster, though, because these people hate him.


7 posted on 04/28/2008 8:07:25 AM PDT by livius
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To: NYer

> And so it begins. How many journalists questioned JPII’s vitality over the years; he outlived most of them.

A prayer or two for the Holy Father will not be wasted. The quality of his reign will not necessarily determined by the length thereof, as I am finding in my newfound studies. Pope John Paul I being an excellent example of a short but wonderful life: his “Illustrissimi” is a truly great accomplishment.


8 posted on 04/28/2008 8:07:41 AM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: Clear Rivers

LOL! Well, we could probably do worse...


9 posted on 04/28/2008 8:08:19 AM PDT by livius
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To: NYer

IMHO, this is coming from a press which has nothing to do. Plus after getting through a very hectic week in the USA, April 15-20, 2008, it was expected he would be tired. Also he has to prepare to go down under in a few months for the WYD gathering. As America was a difference of 8 hours from Rome, going down under will be a whole day.


10 posted on 04/28/2008 8:23:51 AM PDT by Biggirl (A biggirl with a big heart for God's animal creation, with 4 cats in my life as proof. =^..^=)
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To: Biggirl

The time difference between Rome and Washington and NYC is 6 hours, not 8.


11 posted on 04/28/2008 8:29:39 AM PDT by frankiep (Democrats base their ideology on the premise that you are too stupid to do anything for yourself.)
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To: NYer

Just look at his predescesor, JPII, the Great, he made more trips in his 26-year-long reign, making him a frequent flyer for God and faith. For this I will always call him the patron saint of frequent flyers.


12 posted on 04/28/2008 8:29:48 AM PDT by Biggirl (A biggirl with a big heart for God's animal creation, with 4 cats in my life as proof. =^..^=)
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To: NYer
Ah, the ignorance of the leftist atheist journalist:

after the ceremony he was helped by aides so as "to not trip under the great weight of the liturgical vestments.”

Anybody who's watched a Eucharistic procession or high ceremony of the old traditional type knows that the deacons or altar servers ceremonially hold the cope of the bishop, as nobles held the train of a king . . . .

But for liberals, of course, history began yesterday, so they do not know this.

13 posted on 04/28/2008 8:30:26 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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To: frankiep

...Oh, the time differences is about 6 hours from Rome not 8 as I thought.


14 posted on 04/28/2008 8:33:17 AM PDT by Biggirl (A biggirl with a big heart for God's animal creation, with 4 cats in my life as proof. =^..^=)
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To: NYer
And, of course, most hearty and humble prayers for our Holy Father Benedict XVI his health!

I was always badly jet lagged going west-to-east, although it didn't bother me east-to-west. Something about going against the sun instead of with it makes it worse.

15 posted on 04/28/2008 8:36:25 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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To: frankiep

Did an Ask.com website research and it confirms it, you are right, it is a difference of 6 hours.


16 posted on 04/28/2008 8:40:56 AM PDT by Biggirl (A biggirl with a big heart for God's animal creation, with 4 cats in my life as proof. =^..^=)
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To: RichInOC

17 posted on 04/28/2008 9:13:57 AM PDT by NYer (Jesus whom I know as my Redeemer cannot be less than God. - St. Athanasius)
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To: marshmallow
An 82 year old man feels tired!

Let's not rush things. Pope Benedict XVI just turned 81.

18 posted on 04/28/2008 9:15:33 AM PDT by NYer (Jesus whom I know as my Redeemer cannot be less than God. - St. Athanasius)
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To: DieHard the Hunter

One of the problems we are facing now is actually the long reign of JPII. While there was obviously much about him that was wonderful, he was a terrible administrator, and much of the disarray and disobedience of the bishops is due to his reluctance to enforce anything. The only people he was severe in dealing with were conservatives, whether because of his own opinions or those of members of the curia.

I think BXVI, who gained power only later in JPII’s reign, is now dealing with a totally out of control set of bishops (with their correspondingly out of control priests and laity) and this would not have been the case if JPII had had a shorter reign.

Still, what happens, happens, and the length of a reign - while in some sense favoring the person with the longest reign - is not necessarily the determining factor.


19 posted on 04/28/2008 9:53:10 AM PDT by livius
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To: AnAmericanMother
Anybody who's watched a Eucharistic procession or high ceremony of the old traditional type knows that the deacons or altar servers ceremonially hold the cope of the bishop

They also lift the long cassock/alb/dalmatic/chasuble as the celebrant walks up steps to prevent him from tripping. Had the French "journalist" done some basic homework like watching some footage of recent papal Masses, he would have seen that this is done at all papal Masses and not only during his trip to the USA.

20 posted on 04/28/2008 10:19:19 AM PDT by ELS (Vivat Benedictus XVI!)
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To: ELS
A journalist wouldn't even have to do that!

He could cruise around the net and find a few photographs, just as I did, because I was pretty sure of my ground but wanted to confirm it with visual evidence.

Unfortunately the gremlins ate my pic of a Eucharistic procession at the Brompton Oratory, with two deacons holding the chasuble (or the humeral veil, hard to see exactly which) of the priest.

21 posted on 04/28/2008 10:23:15 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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To: NYer
I was blessed to be able to attend the Youth and Seminarian Rally at St. Joseph Seminary. For being 81, Pope Benedict looked quite lively, and seemed to be energized by all the young people there.

Ad multos annos!

22 posted on 04/28/2008 10:25:34 AM PDT by GCC Catholic (Sour grapes make terrible whine.)
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To: NYer

Wow, they can’t wait, can they?


23 posted on 04/28/2008 2:03:21 PM PDT by Rutles4Ever (Ubi Petrus, ibi ecclesia, et ubi ecclesia vita eterna!)
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