Pope's frailty part of his message on gruelling Lourdes trip
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Pope John Paul II showed his illness has become a part of his message during a draining pilgrimage to Lourdes, raising more questions over how long he can last, but the extent of his Parkinson's disease did not diminish a strong political content in his speeches.
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A sick man among the sick, Pope John Paul II struggled through Sunday Mass at a French shrine that draws desperate people seeking miracle cures. The 84-year-old pontiff gasped, trembled and asked aides for help during the 2 1/2 hour service in sizzling heat.
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Pope John Paul's visit to Lourdes last  weekend left the Roman Catholic shrine with a 1.2 million euro  ($1.47 million) deficit because pilgrims keen to get good seats  at his mass rushed past collection boxes.
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Pope John Paul II condemned euthanasia Thursday, stressing that the elderly should be considered a valuable resource and not a burden to society, as the Vatican sought to mobilize public opinion against what is known as mercy killing.
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The Vatican has issued tough new rules making the route to sainthood more difficult.
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The frail 84-year-old pontiff, who appeared weak during a trip to Lourdes, France, three weeks ago, arrived by Italian military helicopter from his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, for the ...
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Pope John Paul II blessed the faithful from his hospital window Sunday, looking frail and speaking with difficulty but determined to show he can still lead the Roman Catholic Church.
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Pope John Paul's fragile health  stabilized on Wednesday after urgent medical treatment for  severe breathing difficulties, but the Vatican said he would  have to remain in hospital for the time being.
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Pope Benedict said on  Thursday even he could not do everything that was expected of  him and advised German priests not to burn themselves out  trying to make up for the growing shortage of Roman Catholic  clerics.
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While the four-day trip is aimed at reaching out to the Orthodox, expectations are high for the pope to also reach out to Muslims.
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Pope John Paul II's deteriorating health has churchmen wondering what might happen if he can no longer carry out his papal duties and doctors questioning when that might happen.
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Speaking with difficulty, Pope John Paul  appeared on Sunday at his hospital window for the first time  since taking ill and said through an aide that he was still  "serving the Church and all humanity."
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LORETO, Italy - A frail Pope John Paul II put three more Roman Catholics on the road to sainthood during a visit to a hilltop shrine Sunday, struggling at times but cheered on by 200,000 pilgrims.    He seemed drained, seated in a wheeled throne in glittering green vestments, at the end of the three-hour ceremony in 86 degree heat...
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A tired looking Pope John Paul had  difficulty reading his addresses Thursday at audiences with  Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Romanian President Ion  Iliescu.
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Pope Benedict has decided to keep limbo in limbo a little longer.
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A frail but determined pope delivered his traditional Christmas sermon in Rome's St.
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For more than two decades he was Pope John Paul II&#039;s confidant and the Vatican&#039;s public face. A usually unflappable Spaniard, Joaquin Navarro-Valls struggled to hold back tears as the Polish pontiff lay on his deathbed.