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POPE FRANCIS HAS been admitted to hospital in Rome today for tests and treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said, the latest in a series of health problems for the 88-year-old pontiff.
Francis, who has been breathless in recent days and has delegated officials to read his speeches, was admitted following his morning audiences, the Vatican said.
He was hospitalised at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for “some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue treatment for ongoing bronchitis in a hospital setting”, according to the Vatican.
The Argentine pontiff, who took over as head of the Catholic Church in 2013, will be staying in a suite used exclusively by popes, which has its own chapel.
The Pope, who had part of one of his lungs removed as a young man, has been suffering with breathing difficulties for over a week, asking aides several times to read his speeches aloud on his behalf.
At his weekly general audience on Wednesday, a breathless Francis said he “cannot yet” read his own speeches, adding with a smile: “I hope that next time I can.”
He also held meetings at home on February 6 and 7 in an attempt to rest and recover.
Francis was admitted to hospital for three nights in March 2023 with bronchitis, which was cured with antibiotics.
And in December that year he had to cancel a visit to Dubai to participate in the United Nations COP28 climate change conference due to another bout of bronchitis.
The Argentine pontiff has been plagued in recent years by health issues, including an inflamed colon. He also underwent surgery for a hernia.
He has been using a wheelchair since 2022 due to persistent knee pain and uses a cane during rare moments standing up.
He has also fallen a couple of times in the past few months, bruising his forearm in January and sporting a large bruise on his right jaw in December, caused by toppling from his bed.
Despite his health troubles, Francis rarely rests. In September, he completed a four-nation trip, the longest of his papacy in terms of duration and distance.
He never takes holidays and keeps a busy schedule, sometimes with a dozen meetings in one morning.
Francis’s health issues regularly spark speculation over his future, particularly as his predecessor, Benedict XVI, quit over failing health in 2013.
While Francis has left open the option of resigning should he be unable to carry out his duties, he has said that for now he is going nowhere.
In a memoir published last year, Francis wrote that he did “not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning”.
Resignation is a “distant possibility” that would be justified only in the event of “a serious physical impediment”, he wrote.
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At last a step in the right direction, pity the way it had to happen.
In July 2013 Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs #Francesfitzgerald when the
findings of the investigation following the absconsions from Gleann Alainn special care unit in
October 2011 will be available; if she will provide an update and a timeline for publication; and
if she will make a statement on the matter.
Minister #Francesfitizgerald said her department has sought the information requested by the Deputy from the HSE and I will provide the Deputy with the information as soon as it becomes available.
The findings of this investigation are still not available over 2 and half years later.
Minister Fitzgerald
Another quango. But one that is needed for a change. So why didn’t Shatter announce this earlier? Unless election sound bites.
Everything will change and nothing will change.
Looks like a scene from Cagney & Lacey. Appointing a new commissioner however should have nothing to do with gender. The intern commish is tainted by who trained her! We need a new outside Commish similar to the PSNI, if she gets the job it’s just a political stunt.
The acting Comm. has lost credibility through association and the senior rank she enjoyed in the force.
No doubt she was the good egg in a stinking basket at the top but we need an outside commissioner.
Agree. New (outside) commissioner required. Ms. O’Sullivan complicit in not taking action.
So that’s what Shatter had in mind post report. These are his proposals.
And they are excellent. Long overdue.
I’d note he resigned but there are a bunch of guards accused of pretty insane corruption or incompetence who haven’t been fired. Or even suspended. Or even talked about or criticised.
If he had come out with these at the time of GSOC or any other scandal in the last year from the force he would now be hailed by the public.
Instead we got huddling with Callinan, not dealing with the Penalty points openly, the way he treated McCabe and Wilson.
His own worst enemy in the end.
Of course the minister is going to express support for the commsioner. You can’t half support the head of your police force.
You either support him fully or fire him.
Paragraph 19.98
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Paraphrase: The Minister went no further in determining McCabe’s complaint than asking and receiving advice from one man, the man who was the subject of the complaint.
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Shatter is an exceptionally intelligent and diligent man. As so often in Ireland the deference to authority and to uniform, to good relations, trumped all reason and learning.
Shatter had enough grounds to fire him.
That Callinan did not even see the need to stand down earlier shows the mindset that leads to problems like this.
No one bar Shatter turned this from a potential triumph in to a a crisis that led to both he and the commissioner being thrown out.
Callinan had Shatter by the short and curlies. Eventually it was taken out of Shatter’s hand. So Callinan went. Shatter’s position was always on a knife edge.
The Department of Justice (?) needs a complete overhaul also. Will we see that ?
So many articles about one subject.
A Journal habit Saul. Surprised we don’t have an article to mark Gerry’s one week anniversary!
I don’t recall ever seeing a Garda Commissioner in public not wearing the full attire which comes with the position, as in the picture above. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I’m also not sure if I even care, but it’s making 5pm come that bit faster.
I like that Noirin O’Sullivan left the uniform at home.
It underlines the difference between a political meeting and an official Garda meeting. I hope to see a lot more separation of function.
That’s exactly what they wanted you to think Paul and it obviously worked! Beware the wolf in sheep’s clothing!
I see she has taken on the obligatory grumpy face and serious tone and formal outfit.
I just threw-up a little bit.
Relax, women are now in charge. Sorted.
Their needs to be an absoloute separation between the minister for justice and the commisioner.
Right that’s it. As and from today I’m setting up an inquiry to find out why I’m still waiting for a job in this country. Wallace was correct on Ray D’arcy yesterday about the amount of non contract jobs. Do you think if I set up an inquiry I’d be paid? Oh that’s right I’d pay myself!!!!
Minister said: ” … the law is for everyone. And everyone is equally accountable before it. We will ensure that we have a fair and functional system where genuine allegations of wrongdoing are treated in an effective and accountable manner.”. Minister, thank you for seeing it.
Please clarify for us – does this include addressing offences committed in the past during “in camera proceedings” referring to past rapes, defilements, endangerments, abductions, torture, homicides and the like?
No, the corruption in the Child Abuse Industry will continue unabated for now. That’s the beauty of the secret courts and the in camera rule, “Hear No Evil, See No Evil So No Evil Exists” and crimes committed cant be reported or prosecuted because corrupt judges will jail you in secret for speaking out and trying to report crime to corrupt Gardai who wont investigate.
Exactly, and now with the old minister for children becoming the minister for Justice, a lot more will be hidden from the people.
With Ireland assimilating non Irish children into white Roman Catholic families, it is worrying as it an exact copy of Hitler’s regime, “in the best interests of the children” of course. Sweden also doing the same too.
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