Fed up hearing about the Pope dying.

escaped

I'm a Christian, not Catholic, but it's all the medical details to which I was referring. Updates are fine, but I find anything else intrusive.

It is all about awareness, why put your blinkers on, this is life and death which come to us all. We need to accept death as being part of every day life, the more we can normalise it the better for everyone. So many people cannot have a conversation with their loved ones about death, why? it is sheer ignorance and denial. open the subject up as every day conversation for you and everyone else. It does not matter what religion you are, the pope is dying and we should emphasise with the ones who love him and in particular his family. As someone else said he hold a high position and millions of people follow him, so he is news as is his successor.

i do wish that there was another window where we could uptick or downtick ..like we do in newspapers.
Then we'd really know what gransnetters really think.

GrauntyHelen

It's a you problem Are you one of those people who is afraid of death and dying and think it shouldn't be spoken of ?

Quite possibly, from childhood, and that's something I need to address for myself. But this thread isn't about me.

Then I could have clicked the 'thumbs down' option after reading your comment!
I'm not sure if you have actually read the thread Barbadosbelle, but a while back, I gave myself the 'thumbs down' and apologised for my clumsy way of expressing in the OP what irked me ....... The media looking to aggravate the situation - reports about how Pope Francis had some of his lung removed previously, how he had suffered falls and blackouts recently, the near fatal asthma attack, the onset of anaemia, the kidney issues, the low oxygen levels, the pneumonia, critical, recovering etc. it was all being discussed. I don't like that kind of intrusion or voyeurism, for His sake, and several posters understood that. Like I said, that's just me.
Thank you to those who explained it was Pope Francis' wish to keep us updated. I hope he is comfortable, that's enough for me to know.

escaped

Just to set the record straight, I have said nothing disrespectful or unpleasant about Pope Francis himself. For what it's worth I think he has actually been a good Pope.

Neither did the thread today set out to criticise anyone on here, Catholic or otherwise, for wanting to hear the intricate details of his final journey.

My problem was with the broadcasting of every medical piece of information around the clock over the past few days. I don't like it, I find it disturbing for want of a better word, that modern journalism wants to know painful details about a dying person's condition. Lengthy bulletins dissecting everything seem unnecessary. That's how I feel, though I do understand it is a delicate balance. I apologise if I worded the OP clumsily, but several posters obviously understood what I meant. Maybe it would have been better to discuss under a heading other than religion.

And to be fair, I would feel exactly the same way whichever important figure were being discussed in this manner at this particular time.

Yet you listen to it EVERY HOUR Escaped!! that is surely an obsession. how many people do that. Personally I don't know anybody.

I think I've offered enough answers.
I'll leave it there, but carry on if you wish.

escaped

GrauntyHelen

It's a you problem Are you one of those people who is afraid of death and dying and think it shouldn't be spoken of ?

Quite possibly, from childhood, and that's something I need to address for myself. But this thread isn't about me.

Then I could have clicked the 'thumbs down' option after reading your comment!
I'm not sure if you have actually read the thread Barbadosbelle, but a while back, I gave myself the 'thumbs down' and apologised for my clumsy way of expressing in the OP what irked me ....... The media looking to aggravate the situation - reports about how Pope Francis had some of his lung removed previously, how he had suffered falls and blackouts recently, the near fatal asthma attack, the onset of anaemia, the kidney issues, the low oxygen levels, the pneumonia, critical, recovering etc. it was all being discussed. I don't like that kind of intrusion or voyeurism, for His sake, and several posters understood that. Like I said, that's just me.
Thank you to those who explained it was Pope Francis' wish to keep us updated. I hope he is comfortable, that's enough for me to know.

Then don't listen to the news every hour which you state yourself you do!!! You realise you have a problem talking about death, I suggest you do something about that. Please don't criticise the media nor anyone else who is doing what they have been asked to do and for which a lot of us are grateful.

That’s fair enough escaped that you don’t wish to listen to daily reports about the health of the Pope. However, he is the leader of the Catholic Church and so, I imagine many Catholics will be concerned and want to hear how he is doing. I don’t personally think it is being morbid or voyeuristic in this case, but a genuine concern and worry about the man who is admired by so many in the world, Catholic and non-Catholic alike.

It seems that he has asked for the daily bulletins as a means, I imagine, of halting conjecture and false information. He will be in the thoughts and prayers of many people around the world.

I, for one, hope he pulls through, but of course, he’s 88 and has endured many health problems throughout his life so these factors will be of concern.

win Why would anyone be grateful to listen to the minutiae of someone's medical problems?
Enough to know that His Holiness is "very poorly, receiving treatment, responding to treatment" or whatever medical terms would normally be used in such cases.

To the poster who said we don't need to know all about the Royal Family either - well, actually, we were not given such detailed medical information.

I'm glad to hear the Pope had a peaceful night and has recovered slightly, but it is concerning that he is still considered to be critical.

win you do know that you have no clue about the thought processes of other posters? To say as you do that a poster has a problem talking about death and they should do something about it is ridiculous.

Going back through the centuries, there often was mystery and intrigue about the Popes state of health … such a powerful person was often envied or feared for His political power. Popes were often assassinated, and those that reigned for long never ceased to fear for their lives in turbulent times. Over the centuries it became essential that there was transparency over both their mild or serious illnesses, to allay fears that they might be being poisoned or otherwise harmed. The tradition of assuring the public exactly how His Holiness was being treated continues to this day.

I do think that the OP has received unnecessary criticism while wondering about the frequency of the updates. And in fairness, all news items are repeated ad nauseam until a newer item of interest replaces it.

God Bless the Pope and his firmness in dealing with Trump’s ridiculous “Christian” declarations!!

reports about how Pope Francis had some of his lung removed previously, how he had suffered falls and blackouts recently, the near fatal asthma attack, the onset of anaemia, the kidney issues

These are all news to me!
I knew his oxygen level was low and he had pneumonia. I also heard he was able to do some paperwork.

Clearly it is to do with which news you read/ view/ listen to!

CONCLAVE ,

Jamfriedplumpy

theworriedwell It’s usually because the patient will be unconscious and not be aware of any pain etc. They seem to ‘go to sleep and don’t wake up’😟
In previous centuries, the vigil was an important part of family life and Catholicism is very family-orientated (brought up RC and am a “born-again Christian”).

Globally speaking, there’s no division in true spirituality- it’s not just Catholics praying for the Pope, there will be other Christian denominations as well as other religious groups who will keep vigil at this time.
I have Muslim friends who are just about to start Ramadan, (fasting sunrise to sunset for a month) and they are praying for God’s Will for the Pope.

Hope this helps people understand the reason why the media is covering Pope Francis’ illness.
(And the cynical bit of me guesses they’re getting fed up of reporting on the US situation!)

I imagine with any illness if you get to the stage where you are unconscious it will seem easy. It's the bit before that that won't be pleasant.

Maybe Pope Francis is aware of all the speculation of Pope John Paul I (the Smiling Pope) and suggestions he was murdered or neglected. By being very open he might be hoping to avoid that sort of speculation.

Oreo

win you do know that you have no clue about the thought processes of other posters? To say as you do that a poster has a problem talking about death and they should do something about it is ridiculous.

It is actually not ridiculous, what is ridiculous is not being able to discuss something which is such a big part of life. We have to plan our death for the sake of the loved ones we leave behind. I have seen so many families fall out when someone dies because their wishes were never discussed. So it is important to do something about its if you really cannot talk about death. It is also very important for ourselves to do everything we possibly can to enable us to have as good a death as possible. Look up Death Matters and you will see what I am talking about. There are death cafes around the country who support people who cannot face speaking about death, there are counsellors and so much more help out there. One thing in life is certain and that is our own death, no good shying away from it.

Allira

win Why would anyone be grateful to listen to the minutiae of someone's medical problems?
Enough to know that His Holiness is "very poorly, receiving treatment, responding to treatment" or whatever medical terms would normally be used in such cases.

To the poster who said we don't need to know all about the Royal Family either - well, actually, we were not given such detailed medical information.

I'm glad to hear the Pope had a peaceful night and has recovered slightly, but it is concerning that he is still considered to be critical.

Thousands of people are very grateful for being kept informed. People relate to his illness, and follow every detail, it is up to the individual but if you don't want to know why listen to the news every hour, that I do not understand.

Then switch off the news until they have finished talking about it. I have no interest in the Monarchy, but we had to endure solid coverage for three weeks with absolutely no other news available to us on TV and radio when the Queen died. Now that was total overkill (no pun intended). As others have said, many million Roman Catholics (I am not one of them) want daily updates and it’s only for a few minutes of the news!

win

Allira

win Why would anyone be grateful to listen to the minutiae of someone's medical problems?
Enough to know that His Holiness is "very poorly, receiving treatment, responding to treatment" or whatever medical terms would normally be used in such cases.

To the poster who said we don't need to know all about the Royal Family either - well, actually, we were not given such detailed medical information.

I'm glad to hear the Pope had a peaceful night and has recovered slightly, but it is concerning that he is still considered to be critical.

Thousands of people are very grateful for being kept informed. People relate to his illness, and follow every detail, it is up to the individual but if you don't want to know why listen to the news every hour, that I do not understand.

You are totally forgetting it is his wish and no doubt he has his reasons. When you state it is enough etc.etc. your mean enough for YOU. Each to their own.

We even heard what he had for breakfast the other day.

theworriedwell yes, it can be distressing and awful- My sis and I were with our Dad who was aware for the last few hours, unable to do anything but hold our hands. He couldn’t open his eyes but knew who was there- my sister was in with him when he passed, at dawn in early March 2020.

With me, I have no idea how I survived. I contracted Hospital Acquired Pneumonia, a complication to the conditions I was in for, and my (adult) kids had to organise my funeral in 2019.
Critical ICU couldn’t do any more for me.
I am sure God brought me back, and I’m grateful to be alive, especially as my granddaughter was born in 2021. Every day is a blessing, despite my body being quite glitchy! 😊

Can I respectfully ask why elderly people, like the pope, who are religious and believe in an afterlife, don’t want to die? Don’t they want to get to the Heaven they believe in?

BluebellGran

Can I respectfully ask why elderly people, like the pope, who are religious and believe in an afterlife, don’t want to die? Don’t they want to get to the Heaven they believe in?

Perhaps they feel they have unfinished business they must attend to first?

I recently watched the film Conclave; it was superb and a fascinating insight into the machinations that go on behind the scenes when a Pope dies. I admit that I have taken more interest in the illness of the present Pope because of this although I have no religious views. If you havn't seen the film I really recommend it.

BluebellGran, why do you think he doesn't want to die?

Who says the Pope doesn’t want to die? Both my parents were devout RC and although they were ready to die they didn’t want to leave us children and grandchildren.