Pope Francis addresses his health problems during in-flight press conference

Courtney Mares   By Courtney Mares for CNA

April 3, 2022 Catholic News Agency News Briefs 1 Print

 

Pope Francis speaks during an in-flight press conference from Malta, April 3, 2022. / Vatican Media.

Aboard the papal plane, Apr 3, 2022 / 13:11 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis spoke on Sunday about some of the health problems that have been slowing him down in recent months.

“My health is a bit fickle, I have this knee problem that brings out problems with walking,” he told journalists on April 3.

Speaking aboard the papal plane, the 85-year-old pope said that his problems walking have shown some improvement.

“It is a bit annoying, but it is getting better, at least I can walk, until a week ago I couldn’t do it,” he commented.

“It’s a slow thing this winter… at this age you don’t know how the match will end. Let’s hope it goes well,” he said.

The pope spoke in response to a question during an in-flight press conference on his return flight from Malta about how he was feeling following his April 2-3 trip.

Throughout the pope’s visit to Malta, extra measures were taken to ensure that the pope would not have to take stairs.

At the welcome ceremony, he descended a lift rather than the stairs of the papal plane.

A special lift was also installed at the Basilica of St. Paul in Rabat to enable Pope Francis to visit and pray in the crypt grotto, a cherished Catholic pilgrimage spot on the Mediterranean island country.

The trip to Malta was Pope Francis’ first papal trip of 2022.

A February trip to Florence was canceled on account of his knee problems.

In July 2021, Pope Francis spent 11 days in a Rome hospital recuperating from colon surgery.

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Give religious reps a vote on education committees, Scottish bishop urges

May 29, 2019 CNA Daily News 0

Dundee, Scotland, May 29, 2019 / 11:40 am (CNA).- The Bishop of Dunkeld has met with local government officials to discuss the council area’s decision to strip voting rights from religious representatives on education committees.

“The outcome of the meeting was both cordial and fruitful,” Bishop Stephen Robson said May 28, according to The Courier, a Dundee daily. “Both parties are moving forwards to engage in a meaningful collaboration, working to strengthen our mutual partnership in support of Catholic education.”

Earlier this month, Perth and Kinross Council became Scotland’s first council area to withdraw religious representatives’ voting rights on education committees. The Scottish government had decided that while religious representatives must be appointed to council areas’ education committees, they do not have to be afforded voting rights on those committees.

The Humanist Society Scotland has urged that the rest of Scotland’s 32 council areas also deny religious representatives a vote on education committees.

Perth and Kinross has four Catholic schools, and the Scottish Catholic Education Service “said the Church now has a diminished say” on their future, The Courier reported.

Catholic schools in Scotland are part of the state system, and are not owned by the Church. The Church does have rights over the content of religious and moral education at its schools.

Barbara Coupar, director of the Scottish Catholic Education Service, said, “our representatives do not vote on matters that will not impact on Catholic schools. We believe there was a disproportionate response from the council on this issue and there were better alternatives to resolve the issue. The Church representative on the education committee has an invaluable role in articulating the official response of the Catholic Church on these matters.”

After meeting with Bishop Robson, Perth and Kinross council leader Murray Lyle said that “senior elected members and council officials met with representatives of the local Diocese of the Scottish Catholic Church, and would endorse the view expressed by Bishop Stephen. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our colleagues in the Catholic Church.”

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