Quebec City, Canada, Oct 29, 2003 / 22:00 pm
Canada’s newest and youngest cardinal is confident Pope John Paul II will be able to continue in his ministry despite his ailing health.
Marc Cardinal Ouellet, archbishop of Quebec City, acknowledged at a news conference Oct. 28 that the Pope's “state of health is of concern” but he does not doubt that the Pope “will be able to do his job until the end,” reported the Canadian Press.
"He's still able to celebrate mass but you can feel that his strength is diminishing," said Ouellet, who became Canada’s third active cardinal at the ninth consistory in Rome Oct. 21.
The 59-year-old cardinal pointed out that the Pope’s assistants have increasingly had to finish prayers for him during religious ceremonies. The Pope also left a cardinals’ dinner before the end of the meal last week because of fatigue, he said.