Teletext, news programmes, radio, internet - everywhere except official Vatican channels are reporting the Pope to be near the end.

Apparantly the thing that measures his heart beat isn't picking much up, his kidneys are failing and his breathing is shallow. I expect he'll be dead by the time this gets a few responses.

Yeah its a shame he;s done some good work in his time.However being a lapsed catholic myself I feel I have the right to say that in general a Pope should retire when he reaches the age where he cannot function.I feel its a little unfair to make him carry on until he's wheeled out it seems cruel.But knowing the catholic faith as I do they wont change the religion is all about tradition and faith, thus he is seen as the apointee of god and must carry on until his life is at a end.

I think its a bit sad though maybe they should think about choosing a new pope and let the old pop retire in peace.A bit like the way they have a new archebishop of Cantebury every so often.

I'm also meant to be a catholic although I don't actually believe in god... My Dad is a Roman Catholic (not that you'd think it) and wanted me to be christianed into that church. When I was 3/4 Dad took me to see the Pope when he came to London. It's 1 of my earliest memories, sitting on his shoulders and seeing the Pope go past in his golden carriage and the sea of people.

Then all of a sudden a voice said "Tabitha is that you" and I looked down to see the Landlady of my mums local! Dad was a bit surprised...

Random story but it's one that I will never forget and will always remind me of Pope John Paul. I hope that he dies as peacefully as possible.

I know this sounds awful, but I...I don't really care. I think it just annoys me that everyone's going on about it when there are millions of other old people dying in far worse situations than he. I don't know what good work he's done, though, so maybe it is a huge shame, but for now, I'm getting a bit peeved by the breath-by-breath accounts that we're getting.

(Obviously I think it's sad that anyone dies in pain)

he's kicked it now.

Oh.

Can't say I'm affected eitherway, other than the obvious thing of it being a shame for anyone to die.

RIP.

he was a good man

RIP

Ditto.

Yeah, some sections of the media turned the whole thing into a bit of a farce really didn't they?

Hmm yeah although I'm sad to hear he died.It does get to a compassion fatigue stage with the blanket coverage of certain figures who die.It was similiar if not worse with Diana which with some people I thought was hypocritcal as they nevr liked her when she was alive.Also when MP's are seen coming out of churches to deliver speaches about his death I do wonder if its for political gain.

What did the Pope actually do which was commendable?

I can only think of the awful things (which admittedly I know little about) which stem from Religious Stupidity.

I doubt anyone's last hours on earth have had as much media coverage as this.

I am completely indifferent to the death tbh. I'm not a religious person at all, though my ignorance sometimes annoys me.

Just making that little change there, otherwise it sounds like I'm suggesting the Pope's now in a Heaven I don't believe in.