Yes, the Pope is still Dead.

On Friday, which was also incidentally April Fool's day, I was on the phone with No. 2 when a line appeared at the bottom of CNN: Pope John Paul II has died. So, I told No. 2 what had happened, and we both expressed belief and non-shock, as the Pontiff has been quite ill and this was an expected outcome. Another person in my office also commented on the Pope's death that afternoon, and so it was on April 1.

Now, imagine my DISbelief and SHOCK on Saturday, April 2nd, when No. 2 said to me, "Oh, look! They're keeping a watch on the Pope's health." To which I responded, "Well, they can stop. He's dead." To which CNN responded, "Pope John Paul II stable, but health is failing fast; prayers are being offered outside the Basilica." To which I responded, "HUH?!" Then I proceeded to shake my head and babble for the next couple of hours about how I was losing my mind, or that it was a truly cruel April Fool's joke CNN had played on me, personally. I prefer to think the latter.

So, you can imagine my skepticism when the news of His Holiness's actual death emerged. I looked at No. 2 and said, " I told you he was dead." My smartass No. 2 reminded me several times throughout the weekend, that in fact, the Pope was still dead.

I hope they don't make this a Weekend Update bit on Saturday Night Live... (See Chevy Chase, "Francisco Franco Is Still Dead," ca. 1970-something!!)