NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Pope John Paul II cut short his regular Angelus audience on Sunday, January 31; the Vatican press office explained that the Pope has a mild cold.

      Speaking in a hoarse voice, the Pope told a group of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square that he was grateful to God for making it possible for him to travel to Mexico and the United States during the preceding week.

      Because of unusually cold weather in Rome, attendance at festivities organized by the Italian group Catholic Action fell short of the organizers' expectations. Nevertheless, the Holy Father offered his greetings to Catholic Action, as two young people from the group were invited up to the balcony of the papal apartment to read a message honoring the cause of peace.

      The Pope, however, did not stay on the balcony through the Catholic Action ceremony. After praying the Angelus, he sent his blessings to all the people around the world who suffer from leprosy, thus acknowledging the worldwide day of awareness for that disease. Then, after greeting the Catholic Action delegate, he retired into his apartment.

      On Monday, a "slight fever" further forced Pope John Paul II to cancel his scheduled appointments.

      The Pope evidently came down with the cold during his trip to Mexico and the United States. Journalists who accompanied him on that trip noted that the climate had been highly unusual: in St. Louis, where winter weather can be severe, the temperature was remarkably mild during the papal visit. But when the papal plane returned to Italy, the Pope's party was greeted by bitter cold weather.

      Among the appointments which the Pope postponed was a scheduled meeting with the mayor of Rome. It was not immediately clear whether the Pontiff would be able to celebrate Mass as scheduled in St. Peter's Basilica on February 2, the feast of the Presentation.