All's not well at the Vatican.

It's been reported the pope wants to go home to die, but now the machines are breathing for him.

I understood that he's actually being treated in his Vatican apartment.

Shut up drudge. He is at home. He doesn't want to go back to the hospital.

Once the pope dies, he will be home.

I read that the Pope requested all means neccessary to stay alive. This brings up an interesting ethical dilemma for the Catholic church. What if the Pope were to be "alive" on life support? How long would they leave him on life support? Theoretically, you could keep someone alive for years. How, when, and who would make the decision to remove the Pope from life support? Talk about your right-to-life dilemma.

He requested not to be taken back to the hospital so that says something. He is "serene and calm"

I read the exact opposite. He asked that further care NOT be given.

Cat Fancy wrote:

I read that the Pope requested all means neccessary to stay alive. This brings up an interesting ethical dilemma for the Catholic church. What if the Pope were to be "alive" on life support? How long would they leave him on life support? Theoretically, you could keep someone alive for years. How, when, and who would make the decision to remove the Pope from life support? Talk about your right-to-life dilemma.

I bet you're right. I can't recall where I read that now. Current story on MSNBC says:

"It is not clear who would be empowered to make medical decisions for an unconscious pope. The Vatican has officially declined to comment whether John Paul has left written instructions."

I'm sure the decision depends on what will gain the church more political points. It used to be politicians trying to gain clout with the church, now it's the other way around.

God will decide

God will decide when she is good and ready

Cat Fancy wrote:

I read that the Pope requested all means neccessary to stay alive. This brings up an interesting ethical dilemma for the Catholic church. What if the Pope were to be "alive" on life support? How long would they leave him on life support? Theoretically, you could keep someone alive for years. How, when, and who would make the decision to remove the Pope from life support? Talk about your right-to-life dilemma.

I saw a segment on MSNBC this morning that I thought was interesting... I am not a Catholic so someone can help me out here, but the Pope as said in the past that he must suffer before he dies. He says this will inspire those that are suffering around the world.

I do not think he is any hurry to die. I highly doubt they will remove his feeding tube because he recently spoke out against the removal of the feeding tube in the Schiavo case.

If his goal is to inspire, I think it's working. For me, I am VERY impressed with his resolve!

dean,

i think there is value in suffering. a runner suffers in training to improve times. so many others who have suffered great horrors have come thru to be and because of the experience done great things. we live in a world where only pleasure is given any value, spiritual things seem to have little value. we can not let suffering defeat us. we must find the value and lessons to be learned in it.

so many people seem to go through life empty and without purpose, like a rudderless boat floating down a river. i rememeber a few years back when chicago's cardinal bernadin was diagnosed with cancer and told he had only a short time to live. he spoke often about the value of life, those not yet born, the elderly, those with disabilities and the need to embrace life. i admired him for his willingness, in the face of death to go on and help others and teach from what he was undergoing. at the same time dr. jack kevorkian was going around teaching his gospel of death. it was a very marked contrast.

i think jp2 is a man of great conviction who has spoken out on behalf of the condemned, the unborn and elderly as well as the poor. with thatcher and reagan he worked hard to bring down the communism and at the same time preached against the excesses of the west in its materialism.

i greatly admire him and his embrace of life and willingness to lead by example in his suffering so as to never give up. my prayers are with him.