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CNN Live At Daybreak

Pope's Health Worsens; Pope's Endurance; Terri Schiavo Death

Aired April 01, 2005 - 5:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking new this morning. Live pictures out of Rome, with Catholics around the world anxiously awaiting word out of Vatican City. Pope John Paul II clinging to life. This morning, his condition said to be "very grave."
This is DAYBREAK for Friday, April 1st.

And good Friday morning to you. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello. Straight right now to this breaking news that we will be following throughout the day, the deteriorating health of Pope John Paul II.

Jim Bittermann joining us now live from Rome.

Good morning to you, Jim. What is the latest from there?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kelly.

Well, there's been a series of setbacks for the pope from a health standpoint, starting last night, when he suffered a urinary infection. And then overnight, two very worrying things for doctors here.

The pope suffered a cardiovascular collapse, a failure, as the doctors described it, and septic shock. And those two things together, sometimes they occur together, doctors tell us. But, in fact, those two things together are very serious indeed. Depending on which churchman you're talking to, the pope's condition is described as very serious or very grave.

Now, at the pope's side is his longtime personal physician, Dr. Renato Buzzonetti. He has been there with the pope through his entire pontificate. In fact, he was the Vatican doctor before Pope John Paul II took office. He is there today at the pope's side, along with two other specialists, a cardiologist and an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist.

They are there at the bedside, along with several nurses. There's also been a gathering of some of the cardinals here. And significantly, one cardinal, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, who is the vicar of Rome. He is the person charged under the Vatican rules with actually officially announcing the pope's death.

Now, Vatican sources say that it's not unusual that he would be coming to the Vatican anyway. He was seen going in this morning. He told reporters as he went in that all Catholics should pray for the pope's health. So it may not be too unusual that he's there. But, in any case, he is also in the Vatican this morning in position, as it were, if the pope does die throughout the day today -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Jim, we know the Vatican will give us the next update about 30 minutes from now at 5:30 a.m. Eastern. Before that time, though, what should we make of the fact that the Vatican is saying it was the pope's decision to remain in his Vatican apartment and not go to the Gemelli hospital for any further treatments?

BITTERMANN: Well, I think there's several things you can make of that. It can be interpreted a number of ways.

I mean, one way is that the pope's health is so fragile that they don't want to move him at this moment. The other is that this pope is in good enough shape that he doesn't need to go to the hospital. It can be -- it can be evaluated either way.

The other thing that should be said is that the tradition is for popes to die at home, as it were, to be treated in their last hours in the Vatican or in Castel Gandolfo, or the other places a number of popes have died. So it may not be that significant that he's not going to the hospital.

There certainly has been a lot of medical equipment and medical care facility put into the Vatican over the past months and even years. And he has some of the top specialists there with him. So it may not be all that necessary for him to go to the hospital at this stage -- Kelly.

WALLACE: We also were hearing from the Vatican, Jim, that the pope participated in some sort of mass this morning. And his condition described as conscious, lucid and tranquil. What are we to make of that?

BITTERMANN: Well, I think we have to take it at its face value. That was about six hours ago. But since then, there's been a series of rumors about whether the pope had slipped into a coma.

They started with the Vatican radio, which reported that there was -- there were reports out there that the pope had gone into a coma. That was immediately denied by the Vatican press office, which said that was rubbish and that the pope had not gone into a coma.

This, of course, is a very crucial point for the Church because the pope has to be in a position to run the Church, has to be in a decision-making capacity, and a way -- some way, either verbally or through written word or something, but he has to some way express his will, his direction to the Church. So, if he were to slip into a coma, that would be a very grave situation indeed -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Jim, of course you've covered the pope, you've been to Rome numerous times. Give us a sense of the scene there, the mood, because it's obviously a very tense 12 -- or 12 more hours, indeed, in Rome.

BITTERMANN: Well, I think we've not seen anything quite like this, Kelly. I mean, in this pope's pontificate. In any case, the words that people are using to describe the situation are much more serious than they have been. People like Navarro-Valls go out walking. Navarro-Valls, the papal spokesman, he's usually very upbeat and he's usually very positive, tries to put the most positive spin on things. And in the first medical bulletin this morning it was not upbeat at all. He said the pope was in a very serious situation.

So I think the mood has changed. We're hearing from a number of cardinals who are expressing their opinions.

Now, some of them are not really in a position to know. Some of them are miles from here. But a number of cardinals have spoken of the pope reaching his final hours, and preparing himself serenely for death, and things like that, which is the kind of tone that you would not expect from people who expected the pope to cover from this -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Something else, Jim, people were taking note of, how much information and how quickly it was coming from the Vatican.

BITTERMANN: That's definitely a departure. We normally get fed very little from the Vatican. And this is an absolute monarchy, after all. There are very few leaks that ever come out of the Vatican.

So it was a surprise to a number of Vatican journalists that overnight, particularly in the last 24 hours, there has been a lot of detail provided. We've gotten just two medical bulletins this morning. We're expecting this news conference in, oh, a half-hour.

So from now -- so there's been, it seems, a great effort on the part of the Vatican to improve the information flow. That could be an indicator of something too.

I mean, the fact is that they may feel that it's no longer necessary to hide the situation or try to hide or try to spin the situation more positively. That, in fact, things are at a very grave state right now and there's no point in really putting -- trying to put a brave face on it -- Kelly.

WALLACE: All right, Jim. We will certainly be checking in with you throughout the morning here on CNN. Jim Bittermann reporting from Rome.

Again, we are expecting the next update from the Vatican less than 30 minutes from now. And we will bring it to you, of course, live here on CNN.

Well, known as god's athlete in his youth, Pope John Paul II was a role model for young people. Now aged and ailing, the pope is a role model for seniors, showing that determination trumps physical limitations. Our Rome bureau chief, Alessio Vinci, reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): In the early years of his papacy, Pope John Paul II was often called god's athlete because of his love for hiking and skiing. But in the end, old age, arthritis and an only partially successful hip replacement made it difficult for him to move at all.

He was also often referred to as the great communicator for his ability to speak to the masses.

Eventually the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and tracheotomy performed after two consecutive breathing spasms hindered his ability to talk.

Yet the pope refused to be limited by his physical ailments, showing remarkable strength and endurance, like when he left the hospital in early February, only days after being treated for a bad case of the flu.

"Thank you for you patience," he said to a huge crowd during his last trip to Poland in August, 2002, after reading his homily slowly and with a trembling voice.

Two years later a sick man among the sick, reading his homily in the French shrine of Lourdes. The pope, again, mustered all his strength, as short of breath, he muttered, slowly in Polish the words, "Help me," and later said, "I have to finish," when an aid brought him some water.

The pope clearly knows his deteriorating health is making it difficult for him to understand every word he is saying but he also knows he has an important message to deliver.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: This is a message, that in a world that worships youth that we see here an old man, a man who is struggling against the limits of his own body can still lead, can still make a valuable contribution. Extraordinarily valuable contribution. And I think the pope quite consciously wanted to make that part of his message and in addition I think there is also a theology of suffering here, that the pope has always talked about suffering is not meaningless if it is accepted in the spirit of Christ.

That is, just as Christ suffered on the cross in order to redeem humanity.

VINCI: The pope would often joke about his old age, even making, at times, a rare reference to his death. "Pray for the pope not only when he is living, but also after he dies, he said in Poland." Vatican officials, never happy to discuss even if the pope had the flu, were no longer able to avoid reporters' questions about his health.

JOAQUIN NAVARRO-VALLS, VATICAN SPOKESMAN: I think that he has done something that maybe is difficult but he has done it with extreme naturalness, but it is to incorporate in his mission and in his way of preaching those limitations that for some other old people keep them from doing what they should do.

VINCI: But working with an ailing popes presents Vatican officials with logistical challenges. At every event, at any moment, each step of the way, aids have to be within inches of him without appearing to intrusive. The pope never appears to like the necessary proximity. And though there were times he wanted to show not even an airplane stairway was too big of a challenge for him, more recently, no longer able to stand or move on his own, the pope was being carried around on a wheelchair.

So what is it that draws so much attention around John Paul II's health? Other popes, even in recent times, have been ill in the final years of their lives.

ALLEN: The difference is that wasn't happening in the age of CNN. I mean, this is the first pope who has gotten old before our eyes, day to day, week to week, month to month on TV but I don't think that was by design, obviously, but Karol Wojtyla, John Paul II, is a smart enough man that he realized that was going to happen inevitably and so he decided to, in effect, make it part of his act.

VINCI: An act which has become a terrible burden for the ailing pope.

DR. PIERLUIGI LENZI, NEUROLOGIST: Many patients with this degree of Parkinson's are telling me that, as with a cross of lead they are unable to move because the feel pounds of pounds of weight on that. So this kind of immobilization due to this enormous weight that they are unable to move, it is absolutely painful.

VINCI: Alessio Vinci, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And once again, to bring you up to date, the Vatican saying early Friday that the pope's condition is "very grave." We are expecting the next update from the Vatican less than 20 minutes from now. CNN, of course, will take that live and bring it to you.

Other stories "Now in the News."

An autopsy that could determine the extent of Terri Schiavo's brain damage may not be available for several weeks. Schiavo died Thursday, nearly two weeks after her feeding tube was removed.

Former Clinton national security adviser Sandy Berger is expected to plead guilty today to removing classified documents from the National Archives. The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and $100,000 fine.

Prince Albert taking over the royal towers of Monaco while his father his sick. Eighty-one-year-old Prince Rainier has been hospitalized for weeks, suffering from breathing, kidney and heart problems.

A snowmobiler has been killed in an avalanche in the Utah mountains. That brings the state's avalanche death toll this season to eight people, the highest on record.

A hello to Chad Myers in Atlanta at the weather center.

Chad, a sad morning so far right now.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. We talked about that. Eighteen to 20 inches possible across the Wasatch a couple of days ago. That just -- it's very light snow that comes in on snow that's not so stable now because it's been warming up for a while. So you have to be very, very careful out there.

Telluride picked up 22 inches of snow in the past 36 hours. Great for skiers, but you just have to be careful where that snow is.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: All right, Chad. Thanks so much. We'll check in with you in a few minutes.

MYERS: OK.

WALLACE: Still to come here on DAYBREAK this morning, the Terri Schiavo story. At 43 after the hour, we will look at how the battle over her life has so many people across the country reexamining their own lives.

Also, we are staying on top of developments at the Vatican throughout the morning as the pope's health deteriorates.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: The international markets are trading in positive territory. Tokyo's Nikkei up more than 54 points. The London FTSE up nearly 30 points. And the German DAX is up more than 15.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's just almost 18 minutes after the hour, and here is what is all new this morning.

The Vatican says Pope John Paul II is in very grave condition. Overnight he suffered a cardiocirculatory collapse after treatment for a urinary tract infection. The Vatican is expected to update the pope's health -- pope's condition at the half-hour.

An autopsy will be performed on Terri Schiavo, who died 13 days after her feeding tube was removed. Husband Michael Schiavo will have her interred in the family plot in Pennsylvania.

In money, Paul Wolfowitz was unanimously elected as the next president of the World Bank. President Bush had nominated the former deputy -- former deputy defense secretary to lead the 184-nation organization.

In culture, Star Jones Reynolds is being targeted by the PETA people. The animal rights group plans to unveil a parody of "The View" co-host today to highlight her penchant for furs. The fur is a drag display, uses a six-foot-tall cross-dresser to make its point.

And in sports, the final four teams are ready to meet in St. Louis. Tomorrow's semifinal games will pit Illinois against Louisville and North Carolina against Michigan State. The final is Monday night.

Chad, who do you like to win the big prize?

MYERS: Oh, that's a very tough question. I'll tell you what, probably North Carolina could be the best team out there. But they haven't played the best basketball yet. So we'll see. We'll see how the talent comes through, we'll see who sinks the twos and the threes and all that, because I'm thinking it's going to be free throw and field goal percentage more than anything else.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: Yes, nasty, Chad.

MYERS: Sorry.

WALLACE: Yes. We got very spoiled just for a day or two, and then the winter coat, all the gloves back out.

MYERS: Yes.

WALLACE: Not your fault, Chad.

MYERS: OK.

WALLACE: We're not blaming you. OK, Chad. Thanks so much.

Well, we have been keeping you informed all morning long on the failing health of Pope John Paul II. He has received what used to be called last rites, now the sacrament of the sick. Doctors are monitoring him right now. We will take you live to Rome in just about 10 minutes for the very latest.

You are watching DAYBREAK for Friday, April 1st. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And welcome back.

Now to the story of Terri Schiavo. Her parents and siblings were not with her in her final moments. But Michael Schiavo's attorney says Terri died a peaceful death in her husband's arms.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE FELOS, MICHAEL SCHIAVO'S ATTORNEY: It was a very quiet death. It was a very peaceful death. There was just a palpable feeling of love and calm in the air. You could not have wished for a death with greater dignity and peace than this for Mrs. Schiavo. (END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Terri Schiavo's blood relatives, for their part, expressed some comfort that she's finally at peace. But in statement read after her death, Schiavo's sister hinted at an undercurrent of anger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SUZANNE VITADAMO, TERRI SCHIAVO'S SISTER: As you're aware, Terri is now with god. And she's been released from all earthly burdens. After these recent years of neglect at the hand of those who were supposed to protect and care for her, she is finally at peace with god for eternity.

We are speaking on behalf of our entire family this evening as we share some thoughts and messages to the world regarding our sister and the courageous battle that was waged to save her life from starvation and dehydration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And that battle to save Terri Schiavo's life took many legal, political and emotional twists and turns. CNN's John Zarrella now with a look back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Terri Schiavo was 26 years old when her life and the lives of those who loved her changed forever. Heart failure stopped the flow of oxygen and left her severely brain damaged. For the next 15 years, her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, believing their daughter could be rehabilitated with therapy, fought to have her kept alive.

MARY SCHINDLER, TERRI SCHIAVO'S MOTHER: I have always thought there was hope. When I go in there, you know, and she responds to me, she knows I'm there.

ZARRELLA: Although Terri did not leave written instructions, Michael Schiavo insisted his wife made it clear she would never want to live on life support.

MICHAEL SCHIAVO, TERRI SCHIAVO'S HUSBAND: She didn't want to be kept alive on anything artificial. She didn't want any tubes. She didn't want to be a burden to people. She's made that comment to me, she's made the comments to other people also.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On page 14 of the initial brief...

ZARRELLA: The battle over what was best for Terri went to state and federal court and...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: Now to the Vatican. Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro- Valls updating the pope's health. Let's listen in.

JOAQUIN NAVARRO-VALLS, VATICAN SPOKESMAN (through translator): Deputy Bishop Sandy (ph), Cardinal Ruini (ph), Cardinal Shocka (ph) taken off the holy College of Cardinals, Cardinal Ratzinger (ph), His Excellence Soliara (ph) on Saturday were all together, visited the pope at different times.

The present situation, at the moment the situation is stationary. The conditions are still very serious. Biological parameters are altered. Blood pressure is unstable. The pope continues to be lucid, fully conscious and he's very serene.

Just a few minutes ago, he asked for the Holy Scriptures to be read to him, and he's still following these readings. This is the situation to date.

The press office will be open for the whole night. The press agencies must know that if there is any important information that we release this information through our electronic system, but the press office will be open the whole night.

I imagine you have a lot of questions to ask. I believe that I have told you the main news.

QUESTION (through translator): Why did he not want to go hospital? Did he say?

NAVARRO-VALLS (through translator): No, when he was told, and he was fully conscious when he was told that the situation was very serious, he just asked whether it was strictly absolutely necessary to go to hospital. And he blatantly replied that it was not strictly necessary because the medical systems would be insured in the apartment. And he decided to stay in the apartment.

Any further questions?

The question was not audible.

My personal feelings are not relevant. Of course I have never seen him like this before in this 26 years. The pope is lucid. He's extraordinarily serene, of course given his difficult respiratory conditions. He has respiratory conditions, as you know.

Well I will give you further updates whenever necessary.

Thank you.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: And you have been listening to a briefing coming from Joaquin Navarro-Valls, a Vatican spokesman, telling us the latest about the pope's condition. Perhaps one of the most telling statements, Mr. Navarro-Valls saying he has never seen the pope like this before in 26 years. He describes him as lucid, extraordinarily serene. And of course he is facing some difficult situations.

He says the pope is still conscious and he says he is in stable condition but remains in grave condition. And talked about how it was communicated to the pope after what was cardio circulatory collapse and septic shock, how he was described this information to the pope, the seriousness of the situation.

Well we have our CNN Vatican analyst John Allen, also our Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci standing by right now.

John, let me first go to you, your reaction to what you heard from Mr. Navarro-Valls.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: I think it was an extraordinary statement and I think within the limits of decency and respect for the pope's legitimate need for privacy. It was an extraordinarily honest statement. I think what we heard is Dr. Navarro-Valls saying that for the moment the pope remains conscious and lucid, but his situation obviously is extremely serious.

I would add that, as a veteran Vatican correspondent, certainly the move to keep the Vatican press office open all night is an extraordinary one. And it's an indication that I think everyone around the pope believes that anything could happen. That, of course, within the context, obviously, of continual strong hope in prayer that a miracle may still be possible.

WALLACE: Alessio, you've been covering the Vatican, covering the pope for a great long time as well, what did you take from this statement from Dr. Navarro-Valls?

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Well I think clearly the Vatican is sending out a very clear message and that is the pope is still lucid, still able to conduct his business as pope. We've been hearing all sorts of reports earlier today about the pope being in a coma and unable to -- and being unconscious. This, of course, does not appear to be the case. So certainly the Vatican, at this time, is giving this very clear message that the pope is alive.

At the same time, the spokesman telling, during his statement, that the pope has met with his closest advisers and aides at the Vatican early this morning. He has even celebrated mass this morning. So certainly the picture that we're getting at this time from the Vatican is a picture that while the situation continues to remain extremely serious and that there is a great deal of concern right now at the Vatican that anything could happen at any moment.

At the same time, Vatican official and Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, a physician himself, telling us basically that the pope is conscious, is alive, but the situation continues to remain, of course, extremely precarious. And again trying to give a sense that the pope, while in a very dark condition, continues his day-to-day business, if you want, by giving that and by meeting with his closest aides, including Cardinal Sodano, who is the secretary of state at the Vatican, a No. 2 man here in the building and in the city right behind us -- Kelly.

WALLACE: And, John, also Dr. Navarro-Valls, the first question really something we all had been asking as well, why did the pope decide to stay at his Vatican apartment as opposed to going to a hospital. What did we read into that? What did you hear from the spokesman on that issue?

ALLEN: Well I think probably two points worth stressing. The first is that Dr. Navarro-Valls said clearly that the pope's doctors were of the opinion that the medical care he requires in his present condition can be delivered just as well in his apartment here in the Apostolic Palace as it could at, for example, the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

Second point, obviously, is Navarro-Valls wanted to stress the pope is approaching this not just as a medical moment, if you like, but very much as a deeply spiritual one. He pointed out that Friday is the day when the pope remembers the Via Crucis, Christ's Way of the Cross. He has the stations of the cross in his papal apartment, obviously wanted to be near them, wanted to have scripture read to him.

And I think you know when you're dealing with profound spiritual moments in your life, you like to be in familiar environments. And so I think probably those two factors combined explain the pope's decision to remain in the Apostolic Palace.

WALLACE: And, Alessio, describe the mood for us around the Vatican, around the city of Rome on this day.

VINCI: Of course as soon as the news broke last night that the pope, the pope's health was deteriorating sharply, we're seeing several hundred people coming here to St. Peter's Square. Overnight, of course, the square was empty. We're seeing now several hundreds more arriving here in St. Peter's Square, mainly people who are curious. There is, of course, a great deal amount of media here who have descended on Rome. So there is definitely a somber mood.

You could definitely -- I was driving here and I could hear on the radio how basically virtually every radio channel was reporting the news that the pope has been sick. There is an election coming up here, a local election coming up here, and the commentators even talking about how this situation is affecting the elections here in Italy, the regional elections here in Italy. So certainly there is a sense of apprehension.

One more thing, Kelly, that I wanted to mention regarding the kind of medical care that the pope is able to receive at the Vatican. Of course the pope has been taken to the hospital twice in February. And when he has returned to the Vatican, we understand from various sources that the pope is able to receive top-notch medical assistance at the Vatican. That there is a small clinic, if you want, there with top-of-the-line machines that are very much at the ready for the pope's condition.

This is a man, of course, who has been sick for many, many, many years. His doctors and the people assisting him are quite aware of his medical condition. And therefore, it is clearly a decision the pope for the time being to remain at the Vatican because he knows also and the doctors know and Vatican officials know that for the time being the kind of care that the pope needs can be performed at the Vatican. Also, more than one Vatican official with whom I spoke with recently telling us that should the situation turn for the worst, of course they do not want the pope to pass away at the hospital outside from the Vatican -- Kelly.

WALLACE: And, John, -- thanks, Alessio.

And, John, give us a sense of what would likely be going on behind the scenes right now. Obviously the pope has his doctors and medical officials with him. But beyond that, the workings of the Vatican, what is likely taking place behind the scenes preparing for potentially the condition of the pope to worsen on this day?

ALLEN: Well knowing the calls from the Vatican, as I do, I can tell you that out loud no one right now is discussing preparations for the succession. That would be seen as not only in poor taste, but flying in the face of the fact that we still have a pope. But obviously Vatican officials are aware that something could happen at any moment, and so sort of two levels of things would be going on.

One is the internal logistical preparation for the rights that have to be carried out immediately following the death of the pope. They would include the ceremonial verification of his death and preparations for preparing his body to lie in state.

The other level of the preparations, to inform the cardinals of the world -- there are currently 117 who are under 80 and therefore eligible to vote for the next pope -- that the pope has passed away and that they need to make preparations to get to Rome as quickly as possible.

Again I want to stress, however, that all of that is thoughts that are going through the minds of Vatican officials rather than machinery that has actually been set in motion, because the point is we're not there yet. And obviously I think the dominant thing on the minds of officials in the Vatican right at the moment is storming heaven with prayer that the pope may be able still to recover from this very grave situation.

WALLACE: Of course people around the world praying for the pope on this day no doubt.

Alessio, final question to you, under Vatican law there really is nothing stated on what would happen if, let's say, the pope did become incapacitated in some way, is there?

VINCI: That is correct. That is the one situation that the church is virtually unprepared for, because, basically, while Canon Law allows for a pope to renounce to his seat, to step down if he wants to resign, this must be expressed in a will, it must be expressly said by the pope himself. And should the pope become incapacitated, obviously we don't know what would happen.

There is some speculation that the pope may have left a letter in the hands perhaps of his trusted secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz. But we have never been able to confirm that information. And therefore should the pope fall in a coma, for example, it would be very difficult for the church then to decide what is the next step. Unless, of course, the pope has left a will or a living will, if you want, and therefore giving instructions, clear instructions as to what to do next.

But it is very important to note that while there are vice presidents and vice deputy prime ministers, there can be no vice pope. There is nobody that can really replace the pope should he become incapacitated -- Kelly.

WALLACE: All right, Alessio Vinci, our Rome bureau chief, and CNN Vatican analyst John Allen, we thank you so much for your insights this morning. And of course we'll be talking to you throughout the morning here on DAYBREAK and throughout the morning here on CNN.

Well Catholic lay people and clergy praying for the pope this morning. "Beyond the Soundbite," some comments now from churchmen here in the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARDINAL THEODORE MCCARRICK, ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON: We should pray for the holy father. We should have hope that the Lord will always take care of him. If it is God's will that he will recover and we pray that he be able to come back to the ability to communicate to the faithful as he has so beautifully for 27 years. But if this is not God's will, that he will not suffer. So that's what I asked our people to pray for and all people to pray for, because I think a lot of people love the holy father, not just Catholics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. ROBERT SINATRA, CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY: It's both concerning and encouraging at the same time. While we always care about the health of our holy father, we're also encouraged that even throughout all of this illness, prolonged as it is, that he has still been able to shepherd the church and his flock. So we pray for not only his health and hopefully, you know, his recovery, but if he should die, for the sake of his soul.

And this isn't the end of the church. I mean we've had popes come and go before, and the holy father is definitely a special figure. And this is an end of an era for the church, but it's not the end of Christ's mission or the folding up of the kingdom of God.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. ROBERT PASLEY, CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY: There's an idea that the sacrament of the sick is only given to those who are about to die, but that's not the case. It's given to people when they're undergoing an operation, when they have a serious illness. And since he has this fever and he's gotten a little worse, we believe that that sacrament not only prepares one to die, but also can heal us through the power of Christ. So it's a prayer of hope for him as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And special prayers today at Our Lady of Mount Bright Church in Los Angeles where John Paul said mass in 1976 before he became pope. A priest there says -- quote -- "I feel the same as if my own father was sick."

Well the pope's health has been an issue for quite a few years, but as his condition worsens now, who behind the scenes is stepping in to fill the void?

CNN's Jim Bittermann reports from Vatican City.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Much of what the Catholic Church does happens far from Pope John Paul's Vatican office. Most all of it takes place without the slightest sign of papal intervention.

An army of more than 405,000 priests and 4,700 bishops knows what must be done to carry on the work of the pope whether or not he's there to urge them on or restrain them. And so, unlike a corporation or a government, the Catholic Church does not immediately spin out of control if the chair of St. Peter is empty.

ULRICH ESSER, GREGORIAN UNIV. SEMINARIAN: The church is more than 2,000 years old, so two weeks without the holy father, that can bother nothing.

BITTERMANN: With or without the pope, the Catholic universities go on training up young theologians.

Even at the top of the hierarchy in the dicasteries, the Vatican equivalent of government ministries, the bureaucratic work grinds on.

But the decline in John Paul's health has meant more and more power going to those at the top. Three men in particular, Italian- born Angelo Sodano, the secretary of state, is essentially the Vatican's prime minister. With the pope no longer able to carry out even ceremonial duties, Cardinal Sodano has become the point man, especially in the area of foreign affairs.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a German, is in charge of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the church institution most responsible for enforcing church teachings. His writings have sometimes been more doctrinaire than the pope.

And with a lower rank but not less power Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, the pope's personal secretary for 40 years, has always been at John Paul's side. And now that the pope is ailing, he's the go-to person for the pope's signature and thought to be the one who has final say on the pope's medical treatment.

But the three are just first among equals. Other cardinals have their own individual powers. Only John Paul can give them orders.

(on camera): Over the years, the pope has delegated more and more responsibility to his top churchmen, and sometimes there are disputes among them. But without the pope in place, there is no one to resolve them.

(voice-over): And some say therein lies the real problem with an extended papal illness.

REV. KEITH PECKLERS, PROFESSOR, GREGORIAN UNIV.: What happens down the road if we have a pope, for example, who can no longer speak, who can no longer be seen in public, for example? And then there we're going to have to face some serious questions.

BITTERMANN: Not the least among them, how to maintain the coherence and cohesion of a church with no single person in charge.

Jim Bittermann, CNN, Vatican City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And we will continue to keep you updated about the pope's condition throughout the morning here on DAYBREAK.

We will be right back after this short break.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And welcome back.

It was a hugely popular magazine for decades. Now "Life" magazine, with its great photography, is back.

Here to talk all about it is Meeta Agrawal, an editor with "Life" magazine.

Great to see you.

MEETA AGRAWAL, EDITOR, "LIFE" MAGAZINE: Thank you so much for having me.

WALLACE: Thanks for being here. So tell us about the relaunch of the new "Life" magazine.

AGRAWAL: Well we relaunched in October of last year. And the idea is we're a weekly magazine and we come out on Fridays distributed in the nation's leading papers. And we know that you know people's work weeks are so crazy, so we want to give people the weekend and the chance to unplug, reconnect with family and friends, pursue their passions, and that's really what we try to bring people through our stories and photography.

WALLACE: I had heard from my colleague, my producer, that in some way you want people to be able to read this in about 20 minutes. Is that right?

AGRAWAL: We want this to be just something that's fun and gives them some, you know, interesting information, maybe makes them smile or think about a friend or something like that.

WALLACE: There was something so interesting in the issue you sent us, the hair wars. May be the most interesting hair competition I have ever seen. We're going to put some pictures up. Our viewers are seeing some of the photographs in your magazine.

AGRAWAL: It's pretty wild.

WALLACE: Pretty wild. Tell us about this.

AGRAWAL: You know it's a competition that started in the early '80s in Detroit. It was kind of out of the nightclub scene there. The idea was hair was getting crazy and how far could they take this thing? And since then it's turned in to this almost cabaret show that travels around the country, local hairdressers, and visiting ones, come in and they compete to see who can come up with the craziest thing that you can do with hair.

WALLACE: And the photographs are incredible, of course.

AGRAWAL: They are totally outrageous.

WALLACE: They are. Something else you do, which is great, Life 5. Tell our viewers what that is.

AGRAWAL: Well every week we sit down and we sift through all of the entertainment options that you might have for the coming weekend and we choose the best. We know that you have a lot of movies and books to choose from and we figure we'll do the work for you.

So this week we chose two movies. One is a great family film. It's called "Millions." It's about two kids who have to deal with a bag of money that falls out of the sky.

And then the other one is "Beauty Salon." It's Queen Latifah's new movie, a spin-off of "Barber Shop." I think it's going to be huge. We all love Queen Latifah.

For TV we have two sports picks, actually, the NCAA Final Four. I'm sure any...

WALLACE: Of course everyone will be watching.

AGRAWAL: Right. You already have the date made with your TV.

And the other one is the reality show, "The Contender." We think that as the show has progressed it's really, the emotional intensity is ratcheted up and it's really worth tuning in to.

WALLACE: Well it's fascinating, we're watching "Life" magazine really kind of almost adjust with the times, in a way, so.

Meeta Agrawal, we have to leave it there, an editor with "Life" magazine, thanks for coming in and so early.

AGRAWAL: Thank you so much for having me.

WALLACE: We appreciate it very much.

And after the break, and all this morning, as you know, we will be bringing you more information about the failing health of Pope John Paul II and what he means to Christians worldwide.

We'll be right back. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: Live pictures there in Rome on this day as the world watches to learn more about Pope John Paul II's health. The pope is not the first leader to be called the Great Communicator, but the Vatican says he has spent his entire papacy reaching out.

CNN's Jim Bittermann has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BITTERMANN (voice-over): Around the Vatican, they like to boast that John Paul has personally made contact with more people than anyone else on earth. Fifteen million alone, according to estimates, have attended his Wednesday audiences in Rome. Not to mention the millions and millions and millions who have turned out to see him on his 102 trips abroad. Add to that the billions who have seen him on TV and surely the pope would qualify as the most recognizable figure on the planet.

And how has he used that visibility? Some credit John Paul with precipitating the downfall of communism, with confronting dictators on human rights, with reaching out to redress divisions between religions. He has used his priestly pulpit to comfort the downtrodden, as he has throughout the underdeveloped world, and to confront the powerful, as he did most recently with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.S. President George Bush over the war in Iraq.

Even some who know the pope's failings rate him a success.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'd be hard pressed to name any global figure who has achieved 100 percent of the things they set out to achieve. I think the measure of success really has to be sort of fidelity to one's own vision and the capacity to make that vision real.

BITTERMANN (on camera): There are many, of course, who do not agree with the pope's vision. Even some members of his College of Cardinals say that John Paul's quarter century has left the church with numerous internal problems, declining congregations, declining number of priests, a major sex abuse scandal and a congregation divided on such issues as the role of women in the church, abortion and birth control. (voice-over): Yet the sheer length of this reign has permitted John Paul to set large goals and achieve them. Goals based on principles beyond those of a modern world often driven by profit and provocation.

The pope has used communications in a way no human being ever has, hoping to move the world in an entirely different direction. No army, just his moral megaphone, as they call it around the Vatican.

Jim Bittermann, CNN, Vatican City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And the next hour of DAYBREAK begins right now.

We are following breaking news this morning, Pope John Paul II takes a turn for the worse and parishioners worldwide are kneeling and praying. We are live from Rome with the latest. And our Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us to explain the pope's worsening condition.

It is Friday, April 1, and you are watching DAYBREAK.

And good Friday morning to you, from the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello.

Let's get right to this breaking news that we have been following all morning, the failing health of Pope John Paul II.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired April 1, 2005 - 5:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking new this morning. Live pictures out of Rome, with Catholics around the world anxiously awaiting word out of Vatican City. Pope John Paul II clinging to life. This morning, his condition said to be "very grave."
This is DAYBREAK for Friday, April 1st.

And good Friday morning to you. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello. Straight right now to this breaking news that we will be following throughout the day, the deteriorating health of Pope John Paul II.

Jim Bittermann joining us now live from Rome.

Good morning to you, Jim. What is the latest from there?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kelly.

Well, there's been a series of setbacks for the pope from a health standpoint, starting last night, when he suffered a urinary infection. And then overnight, two very worrying things for doctors here.

The pope suffered a cardiovascular collapse, a failure, as the doctors described it, and septic shock. And those two things together, sometimes they occur together, doctors tell us. But, in fact, those two things together are very serious indeed. Depending on which churchman you're talking to, the pope's condition is described as very serious or very grave.

Now, at the pope's side is his longtime personal physician, Dr. Renato Buzzonetti. He has been there with the pope through his entire pontificate. In fact, he was the Vatican doctor before Pope John Paul II took office. He is there today at the pope's side, along with two other specialists, a cardiologist and an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist.

They are there at the bedside, along with several nurses. There's also been a gathering of some of the cardinals here. And significantly, one cardinal, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, who is the vicar of Rome. He is the person charged under the Vatican rules with actually officially announcing the pope's death.

Now, Vatican sources say that it's not unusual that he would be coming to the Vatican anyway. He was seen going in this morning. He told reporters as he went in that all Catholics should pray for the pope's health. So it may not be too unusual that he's there. But, in any case, he is also in the Vatican this morning in position, as it were, if the pope does die throughout the day today -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Jim, we know the Vatican will give us the next update about 30 minutes from now at 5:30 a.m. Eastern. Before that time, though, what should we make of the fact that the Vatican is saying it was the pope's decision to remain in his Vatican apartment and not go to the Gemelli hospital for any further treatments?

BITTERMANN: Well, I think there's several things you can make of that. It can be interpreted a number of ways.

I mean, one way is that the pope's health is so fragile that they don't want to move him at this moment. The other is that this pope is in good enough shape that he doesn't need to go to the hospital. It can be -- it can be evaluated either way.

The other thing that should be said is that the tradition is for popes to die at home, as it were, to be treated in their last hours in the Vatican or in Castel Gandolfo, or the other places a number of popes have died. So it may not be that significant that he's not going to the hospital.

There certainly has been a lot of medical equipment and medical care facility put into the Vatican over the past months and even years. And he has some of the top specialists there with him. So it may not be all that necessary for him to go to the hospital at this stage -- Kelly.

WALLACE: We also were hearing from the Vatican, Jim, that the pope participated in some sort of mass this morning. And his condition described as conscious, lucid and tranquil. What are we to make of that?

BITTERMANN: Well, I think we have to take it at its face value. That was about six hours ago. But since then, there's been a series of rumors about whether the pope had slipped into a coma.

They started with the Vatican radio, which reported that there was -- there were reports out there that the pope had gone into a coma. That was immediately denied by the Vatican press office, which said that was rubbish and that the pope had not gone into a coma.

This, of course, is a very crucial point for the Church because the pope has to be in a position to run the Church, has to be in a decision-making capacity, and a way -- some way, either verbally or through written word or something, but he has to some way express his will, his direction to the Church. So, if he were to slip into a coma, that would be a very grave situation indeed -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Jim, of course you've covered the pope, you've been to Rome numerous times. Give us a sense of the scene there, the mood, because it's obviously a very tense 12 -- or 12 more hours, indeed, in Rome.

BITTERMANN: Well, I think we've not seen anything quite like this, Kelly. I mean, in this pope's pontificate. In any case, the words that people are using to describe the situation are much more serious than they have been. People like Navarro-Valls go out walking. Navarro-Valls, the papal spokesman, he's usually very upbeat and he's usually very positive, tries to put the most positive spin on things. And in the first medical bulletin this morning it was not upbeat at all. He said the pope was in a very serious situation.

So I think the mood has changed. We're hearing from a number of cardinals who are expressing their opinions.

Now, some of them are not really in a position to know. Some of them are miles from here. But a number of cardinals have spoken of the pope reaching his final hours, and preparing himself serenely for death, and things like that, which is the kind of tone that you would not expect from people who expected the pope to cover from this -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Something else, Jim, people were taking note of, how much information and how quickly it was coming from the Vatican.

BITTERMANN: That's definitely a departure. We normally get fed very little from the Vatican. And this is an absolute monarchy, after all. There are very few leaks that ever come out of the Vatican.

So it was a surprise to a number of Vatican journalists that overnight, particularly in the last 24 hours, there has been a lot of detail provided. We've gotten just two medical bulletins this morning. We're expecting this news conference in, oh, a half-hour.

So from now -- so there's been, it seems, a great effort on the part of the Vatican to improve the information flow. That could be an indicator of something too.

I mean, the fact is that they may feel that it's no longer necessary to hide the situation or try to hide or try to spin the situation more positively. That, in fact, things are at a very grave state right now and there's no point in really putting -- trying to put a brave face on it -- Kelly.

WALLACE: All right, Jim. We will certainly be checking in with you throughout the morning here on CNN. Jim Bittermann reporting from Rome.

Again, we are expecting the next update from the Vatican less than 30 minutes from now. And we will bring it to you, of course, live here on CNN.

Well, known as god's athlete in his youth, Pope John Paul II was a role model for young people. Now aged and ailing, the pope is a role model for seniors, showing that determination trumps physical limitations. Our Rome bureau chief, Alessio Vinci, reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): In the early years of his papacy, Pope John Paul II was often called god's athlete because of his love for hiking and skiing. But in the end, old age, arthritis and an only partially successful hip replacement made it difficult for him to move at all.

He was also often referred to as the great communicator for his ability to speak to the masses.

Eventually the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and tracheotomy performed after two consecutive breathing spasms hindered his ability to talk.

Yet the pope refused to be limited by his physical ailments, showing remarkable strength and endurance, like when he left the hospital in early February, only days after being treated for a bad case of the flu.

"Thank you for you patience," he said to a huge crowd during his last trip to Poland in August, 2002, after reading his homily slowly and with a trembling voice.

Two years later a sick man among the sick, reading his homily in the French shrine of Lourdes. The pope, again, mustered all his strength, as short of breath, he muttered, slowly in Polish the words, "Help me," and later said, "I have to finish," when an aid brought him some water.

The pope clearly knows his deteriorating health is making it difficult for him to understand every word he is saying but he also knows he has an important message to deliver.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: This is a message, that in a world that worships youth that we see here an old man, a man who is struggling against the limits of his own body can still lead, can still make a valuable contribution. Extraordinarily valuable contribution. And I think the pope quite consciously wanted to make that part of his message and in addition I think there is also a theology of suffering here, that the pope has always talked about suffering is not meaningless if it is accepted in the spirit of Christ.

That is, just as Christ suffered on the cross in order to redeem humanity.

VINCI: The pope would often joke about his old age, even making, at times, a rare reference to his death. "Pray for the pope not only when he is living, but also after he dies, he said in Poland." Vatican officials, never happy to discuss even if the pope had the flu, were no longer able to avoid reporters' questions about his health.

JOAQUIN NAVARRO-VALLS, VATICAN SPOKESMAN: I think that he has done something that maybe is difficult but he has done it with extreme naturalness, but it is to incorporate in his mission and in his way of preaching those limitations that for some other old people keep them from doing what they should do.

VINCI: But working with an ailing popes presents Vatican officials with logistical challenges. At every event, at any moment, each step of the way, aids have to be within inches of him without appearing to intrusive. The pope never appears to like the necessary proximity. And though there were times he wanted to show not even an airplane stairway was too big of a challenge for him, more recently, no longer able to stand or move on his own, the pope was being carried around on a wheelchair.

So what is it that draws so much attention around John Paul II's health? Other popes, even in recent times, have been ill in the final years of their lives.

ALLEN: The difference is that wasn't happening in the age of CNN. I mean, this is the first pope who has gotten old before our eyes, day to day, week to week, month to month on TV but I don't think that was by design, obviously, but Karol Wojtyla, John Paul II, is a smart enough man that he realized that was going to happen inevitably and so he decided to, in effect, make it part of his act.

VINCI: An act which has become a terrible burden for the ailing pope.

DR. PIERLUIGI LENZI, NEUROLOGIST: Many patients with this degree of Parkinson's are telling me that, as with a cross of lead they are unable to move because the feel pounds of pounds of weight on that. So this kind of immobilization due to this enormous weight that they are unable to move, it is absolutely painful.

VINCI: Alessio Vinci, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And once again, to bring you up to date, the Vatican saying early Friday that the pope's condition is "very grave." We are expecting the next update from the Vatican less than 20 minutes from now. CNN, of course, will take that live and bring it to you.

Other stories "Now in the News."

An autopsy that could determine the extent of Terri Schiavo's brain damage may not be available for several weeks. Schiavo died Thursday, nearly two weeks after her feeding tube was removed.

Former Clinton national security adviser Sandy Berger is expected to plead guilty today to removing classified documents from the National Archives. The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and $100,000 fine.

Prince Albert taking over the royal towers of Monaco while his father his sick. Eighty-one-year-old Prince Rainier has been hospitalized for weeks, suffering from breathing, kidney and heart problems.

A snowmobiler has been killed in an avalanche in the Utah mountains. That brings the state's avalanche death toll this season to eight people, the highest on record.

A hello to Chad Myers in Atlanta at the weather center.

Chad, a sad morning so far right now.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. We talked about that. Eighteen to 20 inches possible across the Wasatch a couple of days ago. That just -- it's very light snow that comes in on snow that's not so stable now because it's been warming up for a while. So you have to be very, very careful out there.

Telluride picked up 22 inches of snow in the past 36 hours. Great for skiers, but you just have to be careful where that snow is.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: All right, Chad. Thanks so much. We'll check in with you in a few minutes.

MYERS: OK.

WALLACE: Still to come here on DAYBREAK this morning, the Terri Schiavo story. At 43 after the hour, we will look at how the battle over her life has so many people across the country reexamining their own lives.

Also, we are staying on top of developments at the Vatican throughout the morning as the pope's health deteriorates.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: The international markets are trading in positive territory. Tokyo's Nikkei up more than 54 points. The London FTSE up nearly 30 points. And the German DAX is up more than 15.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's just almost 18 minutes after the hour, and here is what is all new this morning.

The Vatican says Pope John Paul II is in very grave condition. Overnight he suffered a cardiocirculatory collapse after treatment for a urinary tract infection. The Vatican is expected to update the pope's health -- pope's condition at the half-hour.

An autopsy will be performed on Terri Schiavo, who died 13 days after her feeding tube was removed. Husband Michael Schiavo will have her interred in the family plot in Pennsylvania.

In money, Paul Wolfowitz was unanimously elected as the next president of the World Bank. President Bush had nominated the former deputy -- former deputy defense secretary to lead the 184-nation organization.

In culture, Star Jones Reynolds is being targeted by the PETA people. The animal rights group plans to unveil a parody of "The View" co-host today to highlight her penchant for furs. The fur is a drag display, uses a six-foot-tall cross-dresser to make its point.

And in sports, the final four teams are ready to meet in St. Louis. Tomorrow's semifinal games will pit Illinois against Louisville and North Carolina against Michigan State. The final is Monday night.

Chad, who do you like to win the big prize?

MYERS: Oh, that's a very tough question. I'll tell you what, probably North Carolina could be the best team out there. But they haven't played the best basketball yet. So we'll see. We'll see how the talent comes through, we'll see who sinks the twos and the threes and all that, because I'm thinking it's going to be free throw and field goal percentage more than anything else.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: Yes, nasty, Chad.

MYERS: Sorry.

WALLACE: Yes. We got very spoiled just for a day or two, and then the winter coat, all the gloves back out.

MYERS: Yes.

WALLACE: Not your fault, Chad.

MYERS: OK.

WALLACE: We're not blaming you. OK, Chad. Thanks so much.

Well, we have been keeping you informed all morning long on the failing health of Pope John Paul II. He has received what used to be called last rites, now the sacrament of the sick. Doctors are monitoring him right now. We will take you live to Rome in just about 10 minutes for the very latest.

You are watching DAYBREAK for Friday, April 1st. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And welcome back.

Now to the story of Terri Schiavo. Her parents and siblings were not with her in her final moments. But Michael Schiavo's attorney says Terri died a peaceful death in her husband's arms.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE FELOS, MICHAEL SCHIAVO'S ATTORNEY: It was a very quiet death. It was a very peaceful death. There was just a palpable feeling of love and calm in the air. You could not have wished for a death with greater dignity and peace than this for Mrs. Schiavo. (END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Terri Schiavo's blood relatives, for their part, expressed some comfort that she's finally at peace. But in statement read after her death, Schiavo's sister hinted at an undercurrent of anger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SUZANNE VITADAMO, TERRI SCHIAVO'S SISTER: As you're aware, Terri is now with god. And she's been released from all earthly burdens. After these recent years of neglect at the hand of those who were supposed to protect and care for her, she is finally at peace with god for eternity.

We are speaking on behalf of our entire family this evening as we share some thoughts and messages to the world regarding our sister and the courageous battle that was waged to save her life from starvation and dehydration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And that battle to save Terri Schiavo's life took many legal, political and emotional twists and turns. CNN's John Zarrella now with a look back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Terri Schiavo was 26 years old when her life and the lives of those who loved her changed forever. Heart failure stopped the flow of oxygen and left her severely brain damaged. For the next 15 years, her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, believing their daughter could be rehabilitated with therapy, fought to have her kept alive.

MARY SCHINDLER, TERRI SCHIAVO'S MOTHER: I have always thought there was hope. When I go in there, you know, and she responds to me, she knows I'm there.

ZARRELLA: Although Terri did not leave written instructions, Michael Schiavo insisted his wife made it clear she would never want to live on life support.

MICHAEL SCHIAVO, TERRI SCHIAVO'S HUSBAND: She didn't want to be kept alive on anything artificial. She didn't want any tubes. She didn't want to be a burden to people. She's made that comment to me, she's made the comments to other people also.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On page 14 of the initial brief...

ZARRELLA: The battle over what was best for Terri went to state and federal court and...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: Now to the Vatican. Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro- Valls updating the pope's health. Let's listen in.

JOAQUIN NAVARRO-VALLS, VATICAN SPOKESMAN (through translator): Deputy Bishop Sandy (ph), Cardinal Ruini (ph), Cardinal Shocka (ph) taken off the holy College of Cardinals, Cardinal Ratzinger (ph), His Excellence Soliara (ph) on Saturday were all together, visited the pope at different times.

The present situation, at the moment the situation is stationary. The conditions are still very serious. Biological parameters are altered. Blood pressure is unstable. The pope continues to be lucid, fully conscious and he's very serene.

Just a few minutes ago, he asked for the Holy Scriptures to be read to him, and he's still following these readings. This is the situation to date.

The press office will be open for the whole night. The press agencies must know that if there is any important information that we release this information through our electronic system, but the press office will be open the whole night.

I imagine you have a lot of questions to ask. I believe that I have told you the main news.

QUESTION (through translator): Why did he not want to go hospital? Did he say?

NAVARRO-VALLS (through translator): No, when he was told, and he was fully conscious when he was told that the situation was very serious, he just asked whether it was strictly absolutely necessary to go to hospital. And he blatantly replied that it was not strictly necessary because the medical systems would be insured in the apartment. And he decided to stay in the apartment.

Any further questions?

The question was not audible.

My personal feelings are not relevant. Of course I have never seen him like this before in this 26 years. The pope is lucid. He's extraordinarily serene, of course given his difficult respiratory conditions. He has respiratory conditions, as you know.

Well I will give you further updates whenever necessary.

Thank you.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: And you have been listening to a briefing coming from Joaquin Navarro-Valls, a Vatican spokesman, telling us the latest about the pope's condition. Perhaps one of the most telling statements, Mr. Navarro-Valls saying he has never seen the pope like this before in 26 years. He describes him as lucid, extraordinarily serene. And of course he is facing some difficult situations.

He says the pope is still conscious and he says he is in stable condition but remains in grave condition. And talked about how it was communicated to the pope after what was cardio circulatory collapse and septic shock, how he was described this information to the pope, the seriousness of the situation.

Well we have our CNN Vatican analyst John Allen, also our Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci standing by right now.

John, let me first go to you, your reaction to what you heard from Mr. Navarro-Valls.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: I think it was an extraordinary statement and I think within the limits of decency and respect for the pope's legitimate need for privacy. It was an extraordinarily honest statement. I think what we heard is Dr. Navarro-Valls saying that for the moment the pope remains conscious and lucid, but his situation obviously is extremely serious.

I would add that, as a veteran Vatican correspondent, certainly the move to keep the Vatican press office open all night is an extraordinary one. And it's an indication that I think everyone around the pope believes that anything could happen. That, of course, within the context, obviously, of continual strong hope in prayer that a miracle may still be possible.

WALLACE: Alessio, you've been covering the Vatican, covering the pope for a great long time as well, what did you take from this statement from Dr. Navarro-Valls?

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Well I think clearly the Vatican is sending out a very clear message and that is the pope is still lucid, still able to conduct his business as pope. We've been hearing all sorts of reports earlier today about the pope being in a coma and unable to -- and being unconscious. This, of course, does not appear to be the case. So certainly the Vatican, at this time, is giving this very clear message that the pope is alive.

At the same time, the spokesman telling, during his statement, that the pope has met with his closest advisers and aides at the Vatican early this morning. He has even celebrated mass this morning. So certainly the picture that we're getting at this time from the Vatican is a picture that while the situation continues to remain extremely serious and that there is a great deal of concern right now at the Vatican that anything could happen at any moment.

At the same time, Vatican official and Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, a physician himself, telling us basically that the pope is conscious, is alive, but the situation continues to remain, of course, extremely precarious. And again trying to give a sense that the pope, while in a very dark condition, continues his day-to-day business, if you want, by giving that and by meeting with his closest aides, including Cardinal Sodano, who is the secretary of state at the Vatican, a No. 2 man here in the building and in the city right behind us -- Kelly.

WALLACE: And, John, also Dr. Navarro-Valls, the first question really something we all had been asking as well, why did the pope decide to stay at his Vatican apartment as opposed to going to a hospital. What did we read into that? What did you hear from the spokesman on that issue?

ALLEN: Well I think probably two points worth stressing. The first is that Dr. Navarro-Valls said clearly that the pope's doctors were of the opinion that the medical care he requires in his present condition can be delivered just as well in his apartment here in the Apostolic Palace as it could at, for example, the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

Second point, obviously, is Navarro-Valls wanted to stress the pope is approaching this not just as a medical moment, if you like, but very much as a deeply spiritual one. He pointed out that Friday is the day when the pope remembers the Via Crucis, Christ's Way of the Cross. He has the stations of the cross in his papal apartment, obviously wanted to be near them, wanted to have scripture read to him.

And I think you know when you're dealing with profound spiritual moments in your life, you like to be in familiar environments. And so I think probably those two factors combined explain the pope's decision to remain in the Apostolic Palace.

WALLACE: And, Alessio, describe the mood for us around the Vatican, around the city of Rome on this day.

VINCI: Of course as soon as the news broke last night that the pope, the pope's health was deteriorating sharply, we're seeing several hundred people coming here to St. Peter's Square. Overnight, of course, the square was empty. We're seeing now several hundreds more arriving here in St. Peter's Square, mainly people who are curious. There is, of course, a great deal amount of media here who have descended on Rome. So there is definitely a somber mood.

You could definitely -- I was driving here and I could hear on the radio how basically virtually every radio channel was reporting the news that the pope has been sick. There is an election coming up here, a local election coming up here, and the commentators even talking about how this situation is affecting the elections here in Italy, the regional elections here in Italy. So certainly there is a sense of apprehension.

One more thing, Kelly, that I wanted to mention regarding the kind of medical care that the pope is able to receive at the Vatican. Of course the pope has been taken to the hospital twice in February. And when he has returned to the Vatican, we understand from various sources that the pope is able to receive top-notch medical assistance at the Vatican. That there is a small clinic, if you want, there with top-of-the-line machines that are very much at the ready for the pope's condition.

This is a man, of course, who has been sick for many, many, many years. His doctors and the people assisting him are quite aware of his medical condition. And therefore, it is clearly a decision the pope for the time being to remain at the Vatican because he knows also and the doctors know and Vatican officials know that for the time being the kind of care that the pope needs can be performed at the Vatican. Also, more than one Vatican official with whom I spoke with recently telling us that should the situation turn for the worst, of course they do not want the pope to pass away at the hospital outside from the Vatican -- Kelly.

WALLACE: And, John, -- thanks, Alessio.

And, John, give us a sense of what would likely be going on behind the scenes right now. Obviously the pope has his doctors and medical officials with him. But beyond that, the workings of the Vatican, what is likely taking place behind the scenes preparing for potentially the condition of the pope to worsen on this day?

ALLEN: Well knowing the calls from the Vatican, as I do, I can tell you that out loud no one right now is discussing preparations for the succession. That would be seen as not only in poor taste, but flying in the face of the fact that we still have a pope. But obviously Vatican officials are aware that something could happen at any moment, and so sort of two levels of things would be going on.

One is the internal logistical preparation for the rights that have to be carried out immediately following the death of the pope. They would include the ceremonial verification of his death and preparations for preparing his body to lie in state.

The other level of the preparations, to inform the cardinals of the world -- there are currently 117 who are under 80 and therefore eligible to vote for the next pope -- that the pope has passed away and that they need to make preparations to get to Rome as quickly as possible.

Again I want to stress, however, that all of that is thoughts that are going through the minds of Vatican officials rather than machinery that has actually been set in motion, because the point is we're not there yet. And obviously I think the dominant thing on the minds of officials in the Vatican right at the moment is storming heaven with prayer that the pope may be able still to recover from this very grave situation.

WALLACE: Of course people around the world praying for the pope on this day no doubt.

Alessio, final question to you, under Vatican law there really is nothing stated on what would happen if, let's say, the pope did become incapacitated in some way, is there?

VINCI: That is correct. That is the one situation that the church is virtually unprepared for, because, basically, while Canon Law allows for a pope to renounce to his seat, to step down if he wants to resign, this must be expressed in a will, it must be expressly said by the pope himself. And should the pope become incapacitated, obviously we don't know what would happen.

There is some speculation that the pope may have left a letter in the hands perhaps of his trusted secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz. But we have never been able to confirm that information. And therefore should the pope fall in a coma, for example, it would be very difficult for the church then to decide what is the next step. Unless, of course, the pope has left a will or a living will, if you want, and therefore giving instructions, clear instructions as to what to do next.

But it is very important to note that while there are vice presidents and vice deputy prime ministers, there can be no vice pope. There is nobody that can really replace the pope should he become incapacitated -- Kelly.

WALLACE: All right, Alessio Vinci, our Rome bureau chief, and CNN Vatican analyst John Allen, we thank you so much for your insights this morning. And of course we'll be talking to you throughout the morning here on DAYBREAK and throughout the morning here on CNN.

Well Catholic lay people and clergy praying for the pope this morning. "Beyond the Soundbite," some comments now from churchmen here in the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARDINAL THEODORE MCCARRICK, ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON: We should pray for the holy father. We should have hope that the Lord will always take care of him. If it is God's will that he will recover and we pray that he be able to come back to the ability to communicate to the faithful as he has so beautifully for 27 years. But if this is not God's will, that he will not suffer. So that's what I asked our people to pray for and all people to pray for, because I think a lot of people love the holy father, not just Catholics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. ROBERT SINATRA, CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY: It's both concerning and encouraging at the same time. While we always care about the health of our holy father, we're also encouraged that even throughout all of this illness, prolonged as it is, that he has still been able to shepherd the church and his flock. So we pray for not only his health and hopefully, you know, his recovery, but if he should die, for the sake of his soul.

And this isn't the end of the church. I mean we've had popes come and go before, and the holy father is definitely a special figure. And this is an end of an era for the church, but it's not the end of Christ's mission or the folding up of the kingdom of God.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. ROBERT PASLEY, CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY: There's an idea that the sacrament of the sick is only given to those who are about to die, but that's not the case. It's given to people when they're undergoing an operation, when they have a serious illness. And since he has this fever and he's gotten a little worse, we believe that that sacrament not only prepares one to die, but also can heal us through the power of Christ. So it's a prayer of hope for him as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And special prayers today at Our Lady of Mount Bright Church in Los Angeles where John Paul said mass in 1976 before he became pope. A priest there says -- quote -- "I feel the same as if my own father was sick."

Well the pope's health has been an issue for quite a few years, but as his condition worsens now, who behind the scenes is stepping in to fill the void?

CNN's Jim Bittermann reports from Vatican City.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Much of what the Catholic Church does happens far from Pope John Paul's Vatican office. Most all of it takes place without the slightest sign of papal intervention.

An army of more than 405,000 priests and 4,700 bishops knows what must be done to carry on the work of the pope whether or not he's there to urge them on or restrain them. And so, unlike a corporation or a government, the Catholic Church does not immediately spin out of control if the chair of St. Peter is empty.

ULRICH ESSER, GREGORIAN UNIV. SEMINARIAN: The church is more than 2,000 years old, so two weeks without the holy father, that can bother nothing.

BITTERMANN: With or without the pope, the Catholic universities go on training up young theologians.

Even at the top of the hierarchy in the dicasteries, the Vatican equivalent of government ministries, the bureaucratic work grinds on.

But the decline in John Paul's health has meant more and more power going to those at the top. Three men in particular, Italian- born Angelo Sodano, the secretary of state, is essentially the Vatican's prime minister. With the pope no longer able to carry out even ceremonial duties, Cardinal Sodano has become the point man, especially in the area of foreign affairs.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a German, is in charge of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the church institution most responsible for enforcing church teachings. His writings have sometimes been more doctrinaire than the pope.

And with a lower rank but not less power Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, the pope's personal secretary for 40 years, has always been at John Paul's side. And now that the pope is ailing, he's the go-to person for the pope's signature and thought to be the one who has final say on the pope's medical treatment.

But the three are just first among equals. Other cardinals have their own individual powers. Only John Paul can give them orders.

(on camera): Over the years, the pope has delegated more and more responsibility to his top churchmen, and sometimes there are disputes among them. But without the pope in place, there is no one to resolve them.

(voice-over): And some say therein lies the real problem with an extended papal illness.

REV. KEITH PECKLERS, PROFESSOR, GREGORIAN UNIV.: What happens down the road if we have a pope, for example, who can no longer speak, who can no longer be seen in public, for example? And then there we're going to have to face some serious questions.

BITTERMANN: Not the least among them, how to maintain the coherence and cohesion of a church with no single person in charge.

Jim Bittermann, CNN, Vatican City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And we will continue to keep you updated about the pope's condition throughout the morning here on DAYBREAK.

We will be right back after this short break.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And welcome back.

It was a hugely popular magazine for decades. Now "Life" magazine, with its great photography, is back.

Here to talk all about it is Meeta Agrawal, an editor with "Life" magazine.

Great to see you.

MEETA AGRAWAL, EDITOR, "LIFE" MAGAZINE: Thank you so much for having me.

WALLACE: Thanks for being here. So tell us about the relaunch of the new "Life" magazine.

AGRAWAL: Well we relaunched in October of last year. And the idea is we're a weekly magazine and we come out on Fridays distributed in the nation's leading papers. And we know that you know people's work weeks are so crazy, so we want to give people the weekend and the chance to unplug, reconnect with family and friends, pursue their passions, and that's really what we try to bring people through our stories and photography.

WALLACE: I had heard from my colleague, my producer, that in some way you want people to be able to read this in about 20 minutes. Is that right?

AGRAWAL: We want this to be just something that's fun and gives them some, you know, interesting information, maybe makes them smile or think about a friend or something like that.

WALLACE: There was something so interesting in the issue you sent us, the hair wars. May be the most interesting hair competition I have ever seen. We're going to put some pictures up. Our viewers are seeing some of the photographs in your magazine.

AGRAWAL: It's pretty wild.

WALLACE: Pretty wild. Tell us about this.

AGRAWAL: You know it's a competition that started in the early '80s in Detroit. It was kind of out of the nightclub scene there. The idea was hair was getting crazy and how far could they take this thing? And since then it's turned in to this almost cabaret show that travels around the country, local hairdressers, and visiting ones, come in and they compete to see who can come up with the craziest thing that you can do with hair.

WALLACE: And the photographs are incredible, of course.

AGRAWAL: They are totally outrageous.

WALLACE: They are. Something else you do, which is great, Life 5. Tell our viewers what that is.

AGRAWAL: Well every week we sit down and we sift through all of the entertainment options that you might have for the coming weekend and we choose the best. We know that you have a lot of movies and books to choose from and we figure we'll do the work for you.

So this week we chose two movies. One is a great family film. It's called "Millions." It's about two kids who have to deal with a bag of money that falls out of the sky.

And then the other one is "Beauty Salon." It's Queen Latifah's new movie, a spin-off of "Barber Shop." I think it's going to be huge. We all love Queen Latifah.

For TV we have two sports picks, actually, the NCAA Final Four. I'm sure any...

WALLACE: Of course everyone will be watching.

AGRAWAL: Right. You already have the date made with your TV.

And the other one is the reality show, "The Contender." We think that as the show has progressed it's really, the emotional intensity is ratcheted up and it's really worth tuning in to.

WALLACE: Well it's fascinating, we're watching "Life" magazine really kind of almost adjust with the times, in a way, so.

Meeta Agrawal, we have to leave it there, an editor with "Life" magazine, thanks for coming in and so early.

AGRAWAL: Thank you so much for having me.

WALLACE: We appreciate it very much.

And after the break, and all this morning, as you know, we will be bringing you more information about the failing health of Pope John Paul II and what he means to Christians worldwide.

We'll be right back. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: Live pictures there in Rome on this day as the world watches to learn more about Pope John Paul II's health. The pope is not the first leader to be called the Great Communicator, but the Vatican says he has spent his entire papacy reaching out.

CNN's Jim Bittermann has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BITTERMANN (voice-over): Around the Vatican, they like to boast that John Paul has personally made contact with more people than anyone else on earth. Fifteen million alone, according to estimates, have attended his Wednesday audiences in Rome. Not to mention the millions and millions and millions who have turned out to see him on his 102 trips abroad. Add to that the billions who have seen him on TV and surely the pope would qualify as the most recognizable figure on the planet.

And how has he used that visibility? Some credit John Paul with precipitating the downfall of communism, with confronting dictators on human rights, with reaching out to redress divisions between religions. He has used his priestly pulpit to comfort the downtrodden, as he has throughout the underdeveloped world, and to confront the powerful, as he did most recently with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.S. President George Bush over the war in Iraq.

Even some who know the pope's failings rate him a success.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'd be hard pressed to name any global figure who has achieved 100 percent of the things they set out to achieve. I think the measure of success really has to be sort of fidelity to one's own vision and the capacity to make that vision real.

BITTERMANN (on camera): There are many, of course, who do not agree with the pope's vision. Even some members of his College of Cardinals say that John Paul's quarter century has left the church with numerous internal problems, declining congregations, declining number of priests, a major sex abuse scandal and a congregation divided on such issues as the role of women in the church, abortion and birth control. (voice-over): Yet the sheer length of this reign has permitted John Paul to set large goals and achieve them. Goals based on principles beyond those of a modern world often driven by profit and provocation.

The pope has used communications in a way no human being ever has, hoping to move the world in an entirely different direction. No army, just his moral megaphone, as they call it around the Vatican.

Jim Bittermann, CNN, Vatican City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And the next hour of DAYBREAK begins right now.

We are following breaking news this morning, Pope John Paul II takes a turn for the worse and parishioners worldwide are kneeling and praying. We are live from Rome with the latest. And our Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us to explain the pope's worsening condition.

It is Friday, April 1, and you are watching DAYBREAK.

And good Friday morning to you, from the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello.

Let's get right to this breaking news that we have been following all morning, the failing health of Pope John Paul II.

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