Fed up hearing about the Pope dying.

Well the general advice on Gnet is if you don’t want to read certain items, don’t open the content. So scroll on by seems to be the order of the day. At least the updates on the Pope are likely to be factual.

DH pointed out that is sounds like the will be a real life Conclave soon.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I find the daily bulletins distressing. I’m not a Catholic but the monitoring of a dying man seems a tad macabre to me. However maybe Catholics feel they are keeping vigil?

I agree.

Yes, better to give factual information about the Pope's health than start a run of conspiracy theories and speculation. I haven't forgotten the cruel rumour mongering around the Princess of Wales when she disappeared from public life.

I agree M0nica.
The poor man has been a force for good in the world, and for the millions of RCs in the world. He is "famous", so, of course, the media will report on his condition.
What is irritating is that they just say he is "critical", but don't add that he is slowly dying...

I think regular bulletins giving factual information about his condition are far better than the endless speculation there would be if the media knew he was in hospital but not the reason. Hopefully this way it stops them all hanging round the hospital waiting for news.

This sort of reporting is done for anyone famous, influential or well known. look at the way the papers were obsessed with the health of the King Charles and the Princess of Wales, last year - and they did not even know what canceer they had. It did not stop reports of what they had what was happening them and half veiled discussion about whether they would survive or not.

Remember the last few weeks/months of our late Queen's life. The endless will she/wont she die, far more extensive and intrusive than the pope is getting.

Look at the endless reporting on that pop star Liam someone or another who died in South America - and he died months ago. the details of his death, with added embellishments seems to be in the paper every day.

We all have to accept that we are part of the crowd and what revolts or bores one person interests many more.

But it’s always like this when the current Pope is dying.

Prince Charles had to change the date of his wedding to attend the funeral of the Pope at the time.

It’s global news.

I agree escaped, we don't need to know the details. Openness can be achieved by being honest about the seriousness of his condition.

I find the updates are too frequent and given too much priority over other important world news. So does my husband and he’s a Catholic.

Well said Greenfinch. I am not a Catholic but recognize and respect the importance of who he is and how significant he is to so many people.
Escaped please think again .

The process of his dying, I mean.

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.

My sons MIL is slowly dying at the moment
I pray for both and read the updates on the Pope
He has asked for openness about his condition

I find the daily bulletins distressing. I’m not a Catholic but the monitoring of a dying man seems a tad macabre to me. However maybe Catholics feel they are keeping vigil?

I am not RC but I appreciate the role of the Pope to those who are. I have no problem with hearing about his declining health. His is a significant position in the world and I would prefer to be kept up to date with him than constantly hear about the doings of celebrities or footballers.

I welcome updates too

As a Catholic I am sad that he is so ill but still welcome updates.

There are loads of things on the news I'm not interested, sport being top of the list but I know they aren't just aiming the news at me.

There are approximately 1.39 billion catholics in the world, I guess they are interested and worried about the leader of their church.

I often wonder what goes through news editors thoughts when scheduling the news items…