I Wonder If It's True

The fish that threatened national security

I want to believe it is. It's funny!

No More Travel For The Pope

Analysis: No more trips for Pope John Paul

Interestingly:

As the pope's condition becomes more unpredictable it is not clear who's in charge of church government. Reliable Vatican sources say the pope has stopped his old practice of scrutinizing and revising drafts of speeches prepared for his delivery by experts. The U.S. cleric says documents on important issues continue to be circulated with the ritual addition, "Seen and approved by the pope." But sometimes, John Paul II has not approved them -- or even seen them.

Because of the pope's fluctuating health one of the intriguing puzzles of the current Vatican is to determine when a decision has been taken by John Paul himself, and when it comes from the small group of senior Vatican prelates who seem to act on his behalf.

At the center of this group is his private secretary, Bishop Stanislas Dziwisz, who came with him from Poland when he was elected in October 1978. Vatican sources say as the pope's infirmity has increased, so correspondingly has Dziwisz's power, both in the decision making and in protecting the ailing pope.

The Vatican can't determine if a decision has been made by the Pope himself or those who act on his behalf? Hmmm.