Pope John Paul II Given Last Rites

Regardless of your view of Catholicism or Christianity in general, Pope John Paul II was a strong and steady voice for people in this world, and a major reformer of one of the world's largest religions. I am not a Catholic myself, and I don't agree with a lot of decisions the Pope made, but I can say that the Pope was one of the 20th Century's great figures and will be missed by many.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/03/31/pope1/index.html

Vatican source: Pope given last rites
Ailing pontiff suffers from high fever with urinary tract infection

Thursday, March 31, 2005 Posted: 4:56 PM EST (2156 GMT)

VATICAN CITY (CNN) -- Pope John Paul II was given the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church late Thursday night as his health deteriorated, a Vatican source has told CNN.

The sacrament does not necessarily mean that the pope is dying. Last rites -- also known as the sacrament of anointing the sick -- are commonly given to people who are seriously ill as well. The pope received the sacrament after he was shot by a would-be assassin in 1981.

The pope is suffering from a high fever caused by a urinary tract infection, the Vatican confirmed earlier Thursday -- one day after revealing he had been put on a nasal feeding tube for nutrition.

The pope is taking antibiotics, a Vatican spokesman said.

Medical sources at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where the pope has been hospitalized twice since February, told CNN that no provisions are being made for the pope to be readmitted for treatment.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a statement released Wednesday: "To improve his calorific intake and promote an efficient recovery of his strength, nutrition via the positioning of a nasal-gastric tube has begun."

The pope underwent a tracheotomy February 24 and still has a tube inserted in his windpipe to help his breathing.

Earlier Wednesday, the pope appeared at his studio window and blessed the thousands of faithful in St. Peter's Square.

He appeared alert during the four-minute appearance, which drew cheers from the crowd gathered beneath his window.

He raised his hand in blessing and made the sign of the cross as a Vatican official read greetings and prayers.

A microphone was raised to his face as he tried to speak, but the words were not clear.

The pope has spent a total of 28 days in two stints at Gemelli hospital in Rome in the past two months.

Nicola Cerbino, a spokesman at the hospital, said Wednesday that there was no plan to hospitalize the pope.

On Monday the pope skipped the post-Easter Angelus prayer for the first time in his 26-year papacy.

The 84-year-old pope suffers from a number of chronic illnesses, including crippling hip and knee ailments, and Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder that can make breathing difficult.

Throughout his various illnesses and brushes with death, even after the assassination attempt, the pope always said his life was in God's hands.

CNN's Alessio Vinci contributed to this report.

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The Vatican denies it though and I found this qoute:

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3110499

"The sacrament is often misunderstood as signaling imminent death. But it is performed not only for patients at the point of death, but also those facing grave illness or a serious operation — and it may be repeated."

Sadly, I think this report is your standard "keep up hope" press release. As evidenced by the above quote, I doubt very much someone is going to be showing positive reaction to antibiotics after "a few hours".

A couple of years ago I received that sacrament. I am still here today : ) Its kinda like getting your spiritual house in order in a very short period of time. And if you survive your grave illness...well...that house can get messed up real quick and so it can be washed rinsed and repeated. Its also called Annointing of the sick.