My father-in-law died from Parkinson's disease. It is an awful disease and I can see so many of the same symptoms that my father-in-law had in the Pope. He is suffering terribly. He has lost 40 pounds in a little over a month. God Bless him.

My prayers are with him, it sounds like he is getting close to the end.

God gave us on this Earth a wonderful person for the time Pope Paul II has been with us and I am so grateful for the time he has been here and for his amazing love, intellect and particularly, faith. He's a wonderful work of God, a wonderful work of God. I know that his life in Heaven will be eternal and I thank God for the gift of Pope Paul II.

Leave it to Alphabet soup networks to screw this one up, too. It is now 2 for 2. I wonder what major screwup they will try to do tomorrow. They have been anti-religion for so long that they just can’t see the light. This ceremony is not the last rights, it is the blessing for the sick and ailing. The Pope was given this blessing, when he was shot and wounded when he first became the Pope.

It is rumored that the shooter has spilled the beans and told the authorities that he was paid by certain people in the old Soviet Union. Hmm, I wonder if ole Rooty Poot had a hand in this?

Actually, the anointing of the sick is part of the "Last Rites". The Church doesn't use the term "last rites" anymore, too pessimistic. But what used to be called Last Rites are the sacraments of anointing of the sick, reconciliation, and Communion.

The Pope has been a symbol of human dignity in the face of suffering.

Correct Sean, thank you for knowing what you are talking about. Any sick person can take the sacrament for the sick, and I highly recommend it for the purification of you non-Catholics.

I highly recommend it for the purification of you non-Catholics.

Except that... uh... they're non-Catholics.

A Muslim might as well recommend Ramadan to a Bishop for getting closer to God. Honestly, can any of you see over the dashboard of your own religious beliefs?

That was a JOKE, Andy. Can you see over the dashboard of your dim wit?

I think Andy needs to feel the healing power of the Holy Spirit. Andy, have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and savior?

how dramatic.

Uh, guys. I just clicked the link to that AP story and the story has been replaced by 'April Fools!' with a photo of the Pope doing a little jig.

Ahem.

April Fools.

If only it were so.

Johnny Cochran, Terry Schiavo and the Pope in the same week? Could it be?

It rivals Mickey Mantle and Jerry Garcia week.

At the risk of sounding like an overly sensitive Catholic, I'd say it doesn't surprise me a bit for CNN to report inaccuately. "Extreme unction" is not the same as "Annointing of the Sick," as the sacrament is presently called. News programs have used the term "Last Rites" to hook viewers, to get people to tune into the death watch.

While McCain is more right than CNN, he is not totally correct. Any sick person should not receive Annointing of the Sick--just those who are near death, the very elderly, and those about to have serious surgery. I would guess the Pope has had the Sacrament a number of times already, especially after the assassination attempt.

Annointing of the Sick usually includes the Viaticum, the term used for the Eucharist during the sacrament, if possible. The purpose of the sacrament, as FoxNews correctly reported, is to provide spiritual healing, as well as physical healing, if it is God's will.