A federal judge's ruling on Saturday that President Donald Trump unlawfully fired Office of Special Counsel head Hampton Dellinger last month sets up a possible Supreme Court battle over the action.
District Judge Amy B. Jackson ruled in favor of a preliminary injunction reversing the firing; Dellinger was nominated to the position by former President Joe Biden and confirmed by Congress last year to a five-year term.
Jackson believes that Dellinger's position is not fireable by the president because it needs to be independent to function as a watchdog over the president and other officials.
“The Special Counsel’s job is to look into and expose unethical or unlawful practices directed at federal civil servants, and to help ensure that whistleblowers who disclose fraud, waste, and abuse on the part of government agencies can do so without suffering reprisals,” Jackson wrote. “It would be ironic, to say the least, and inimical to the ends furthered by the statute if the Special Counsel himself could be chilled in his work by fear of arbitrary or partisan removal.”
The Office of Special Counsel oversees enforcement of the Whistleblower Protection Act since its creation in 1989, and later began to oversee the Hatch Act as well.
The Hatch Act prohibits civil service employees in the executive branch from campaigning and certain other political activities.
Because Dellinger was fired via a one-sentence email that didn't give any cause, Dillinger argued in his suit, his firing violated language stating that his position can only be fired by the president for “inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.”
“That email made no attempt to comply with the Special Counsel’s for-cause removal protection,” Dellinger’s lawsuit said. “It stated simply: ‘On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Special Counsel of the US Office of Special Counsel is terminated, effective immediately.’”
Trump has argued that as president, he can fire anyone he wants in the executive branch.
He has made it a point to fire as many partisan and Democrat-appointed federal employees as he can after employees in those groups have continuously worked against him and undermined him in every way possible.
He sees Dellinger's firing as part of gutting the deep state and wants to replace him with his own appointee just like he has for every other nominated position in the executive branch.
DOJ representative Madeline McMahon said Jackson’s order was an “extraordinary intrusion” into the president’s authority and asked him to stay the order until the D.C. Circuit can rule on it, but Jackson refused.
If the case does go to the Supreme Court, it will be the first such ruling on the issue.
A previous case, Seila Law v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, left out the Office of Special Counsel from the list of federal agency heads the president can fire at will, but didn't say the president could not do so.
In the wake of Donald Trump's election to a second term in the Oval Office, some observers speculated about just how involved his wife, Melania Trump, would be in official events over the course of the next four years.
Skepticism about the first lady's enthusiasm for official events should now begin to recede, given that Mrs. Trump has just announced that preparations for the beloved tradition of the White House Easter Egg roll are well underway, as Fox News reports.
As the White House Historical Association explains, the initial Easter Egg Roll took place on April 22, 1878, during the administration of Rutherford B. Hayes, marking the start of a much-loved custom that has endured across the decades.
A statement released by the White House heralded this year's festive plans, saying, “The president and first lady look forward to continuing this entertaining tradition and making it a truly memorable experience for all.”
As Fox News noted, the egg roll is generally an event overseen by the resident first lady, with each one bringing their personal signature to the proceedings.
Recent years have seen additions to the expected egg rolling races, such as dancing, music, and the like, with attendees receiving a keepsake souvenir from the event to take home with them.
Tickets to the annual gathering are free but must be requested via an online lottery that will run between March 4 and March 10, with lucky winners set to be informed on March 18 of their ability to attend the April 21 event.
As Fox News reported separately, another favorite White House tradition recently resumed, a move that was surely greeted with great excitement by legions of Americans.
Amid the recent transition between the Biden and Trump administrations, public tours of the White House were put on hiatus, a scenario that likely proved frustrating to those visiting the nation's capital during that time.
However, the Office of First Lady Melania Trump announced earlier this month that the aforementioned tours were slated to begin again on Feb. 25.
In a press release revealing the date tours would restart, Mrs. Trump declared, “The President and I are excited to reopen the White House to those interested in the extraordinary story of this iconic and beautiful landmark.”
The first lady continued, “There is much to learn about the American Presidency, the First Families who have lived here, and our Nation's rich history from a firsthand experience at the White House.”
The vigor and happiness with which Mrs. and Mrs. Trump have resumed life at the White House was evident yet again last week when, during the first public tour since the transition-related closure, the president himself made an appearance, thanking attendees and promising them a “great” time, as the New York Post reported.
“The first lady worked very hard in making it perfect, and I think you're going to really love it,” Mr. Trump assured the group, and it seems certain that the same will be true of the upcoming Egg Roll on the White House grounds.
Michael LaRosa, a former White House staffer, now admits that the campaign was "gaslighting" voters during President Joe Biden's 2024 campaign, Mediaite reported. LaRosa said they were in strict "denial" to the public and the media.
LaRosa had an inside view of the president's condition as the press secretary for then-first lady Jill Biden. The 81-year-old incumbent president was forced to give up his reelection bid after a humiliating debate performance against Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the official narrative was that he was "sharp as a tack" despite his advanced age. Now that there's nothing to lose, people like LaRosa and CNN's Jake Tapper are ready to come clean.
Tapper teamed up with Axios reporter Alex Thomson in a new tell-all book, Original Sin, that spills the secrets of the White House's efforts to keep Biden's cognitive decline under wraps. LaRosa spoke with Tara Palmeri from Puck about what it was like behind the scenes.
When Palmeri interviewed LaRosa Wednesday at the Science Institute at American University, he denied a "cover-up" but said the lying began "Day 1" about the problems both with Biden's age and his polling numbers. "There are some things that are true, I mean, like the gaslighting," LaRosa said.
"There was a lot of denial of the polling. And I will use the term gaslighting because that’s what they were doing, the campaign, former colleagues," LaRosa added.
"The message to everybody was to make sure that you tell people it’s too early. It’s too early. These polls don’t mean anything. Well, it became too early. And these polls don’t mean anything for about a year and a half. The polls, the numbers never moved," he went on.
"But by denying the data that was out there publicly, by denying the really insightful journalism, you know, they were actually demeaning to a lot of the people. But it was the data denial that really bothered me because we loved polling when we were running because we were always ahead," LaRosa said.
LaRosa said the Biden campaign's desperation got the best of it. "All of a sudden, because they’re always behind, the polls are meaningless. And they were attacking The New York Times. They did do a lot of gaslighting of people," LaRosa shared.
"And I think if you were watching MSNBC, you probably believed them and were probably pretty shocked. But if you were consuming information, consuming data, and looking at it objectively, and trying to interpret it and process it objectively, then none of it was surprising," LaRosa added.
The campaign took to hiding Joe Biden from the public. "The president’s team was scared to death of impromptu, unscripted, un-rehearsed, unpracticed, un-choreographed, anything, they couldn’t compete for the attention economy. They just couldn’t do it," LaRosa admitted.
He said Joe Biden "loves TV" but couldn't be trusted. "Biden needed the press. When he needed them the most, they didn’t trust him, they gave him the benefit of the doubt and they put their foot on the gas and never took it off. And he was politically dead," LaRosa added.
It was obvious to anyone honest enough to say it that age got the best of Joe Biden. The only surprising thing about LaRosa's confession is that even insiders are willing to admit their role in what's arguably the most significant coverup in presidential history.
Chief Justice John Roberts granted the Trump administration's request Wednesday to delay a deadline and continue withholding nearly $2 billion in foreign aid, The Hill reported. A lower court ordered the payments to resume.
President Donald Trump has attempted to slash waste and fraud in the federal government. This has come with many cuts, including for projects that fall under the U.S. Agency for International Development.
However, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali ruled Tuesday that billions of dollars in payments must resume to USAID and the State Department. Roberts' ruling allows the spending freeze to stand, which is necessary considering the logistical nightmare of forcing payments while audits are underway.
"This new order requiring payment of enormous sums of foreign-assistance money in less than 36 hours intrudes on the prerogatives of the Executive Branch. The President’s power is at its apex—and the power of the judiciary is at its nadir—in matters of foreign affairs," acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris noted in the emergency petition to the Supreme Court.
Trump imposed a foreign aid freeze as one of his first executive orders after taking office. Prior to Roberts' intervention, the Trump administration was prepared to disobey the midnight Tuesday deadline.
The administration blew through another Rhode Island court's order to unfreeze funds, and all of this has outraged the left. "The lengths to which the government is going to flout a court order, all for the goal of ending life-saving humanitarian assistance, is staggering," a statement from the plaintiffs' attorney, Allison Zieve, director of the Public Citizen Litigation Group, said.
Roberts, who is in charge of emergency petitions, chose not to have the full court weigh in on the matter. Now, the plaintiffs in the case say they must cease operations without the fresh injection of taxpayer dollars.
"After flouting the district court’s temporary restraining order for a full twelve days in letter and in spirit — requiring the district court to not once, not twice, but three times order compliance — Defendants bring this premature appeal in a last-ditch effort to evade the order of an Article III court," another attorney, Stephen Wirth, wrote. The plaintiffs claimed "time truly is of the essence" in this matter.
However, the Justice Department noted that there are other ways to access funding to run their programs. This fight for taxpayer dollars, even as the Trump administration still uncovers waste and abuse, has demonstrated the depth of the problems.
This legal win comes after another good week for the Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, Fox News reported. DOGE is already responsible for rooting out hundreds of millions in government waste and is seeking to save even more.
Their efforts have survived several legal challenges, including being allowed to proceed with mass firings of federal workers. The organization is also allowed to audit several federal agencies after judgments in favor of DOGE failed to block access.
Notably, DOGE has also uncovered a mysterious $4.7 trillion in payments from the Treasury, as its account on X, formerly Twitter, explained. "The Treasury Access Symbol (TAS) is an identification code linking a Treasury payment to a budget line item (standard financial process)," the post said.
"In the Federal Government, the TAS field was optional for ~$4.7 Trillion in payments and was often left blank, making traceability almost impossible. As of Saturday, this is now a required field, increasing insight into where money is actually going," it added.
DOGE's mission is a great one, and it appears to be rolling along smoothly even in the face of opposition. This latest decision to freeze payments was another good one from the courts and great news for the Trump administration.
First lady Melania Trump is being widely praised for her wardrobe choice at the White House National Governors Association Dinner Sunday, Parade Magazine reported. Trump donned a Dolce & Gabbana black velvet tuxedo jacket trimmed in satin paired with a Ralph Lauren cummerbund and pants.
The former fashion model's outfit was a take on masculine formal wear but with feminine touches, including flowing tresses, dazzling earrings, and her signature high heels. She posted photos from the event on her official account on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday.
"It was an honor to host our distinguished governors at the White House. Together, we embraced a moment of unity, forging a path toward a brighter future for all," Trump captioned the post.
It was an honor to host our distinguished governors at the White House. Together, we embraced a moment of unity, forging a path toward a brighter future for all. pic.twitter.com/Fa0Eh72aoM
— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) February 24, 2025
As the wife of President Donald Trump, Melania Trump is used to being in the spotlight as a political spouse. However, she was a well-known model long before marrying the media mogul who would become president, and it shows.
During President Trump's first term, the media ignored the fashion plate in the White House even as her fans continue to heap praise on the georgous first lady. "Grace, elegance, and leadership, Melania Trump continues to set the standard," conservative social media personality Desiree posted to X.
"The media could never give her the credit she deserves, but the people see it!" Desiree added. Other users offered similar accolades to the beautiful first lady.
"You are absolutely stunning in that tuxedo suit!!! Classy and gorgeous!!! another admirer offered.
"Thank you!! I love the tuxedo look!! Very classy!" said another X user. "Stunning as always Melania!" still another said of the first lady while another person called Melania a "beautiful hostess."
Melania Trump is arguably the most beautiful woman to be first lady. She is always dressed to impress while out in public, whether on official business or not, and knows how to wear high fashion.
Still, Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is obviously "biased" in whom she decides will grace the cover of her magazine, Melania Trump noted. In 2022, the magazine featured then-first lady Jill Biden on the cover after spending years ignoring Melania Trump.
Melania Trump was previously given the cover in 2005 after marrying Donald Trump, but that was long before he became the left's most hated Republican president. Melania Trump was asked about this obviously intentional oversight in an interview with People.
"I think American people and everyone sees it. It was their decision, and I have much more important things to do — and I did in the White House — than being on the cover of Vogue," Melania Trump said in 2022.
With her husband back in the White House, it's still unlikely Melania Trump will ever become a Vogue cover girl again. Of course, she doesn't need Anna Wintour's approval when she has the love, support, and admiration of the American people.
The Supreme Court threw out Richard Glossip's murder conviction and death sentence Tuesday, Fox News reported. The Oklahoma man was found guilty of hiring another man to kill his former boss in 1997.
Glossip was twice sentenced to death by a jury of his peers, but the Supreme Court granted him a new trial after it agreed there was prosecutorial misconduct in his trial. Now 62, Glossip has been on death row for decades for a murder for hire he possibly never committed.
A man named Justin Sneed, who later admitted to beating Best Budget Inn owner Barry Van Treese to death with a baseball bat, claimed he did so after Glossip offered him $10,000. Glossip feared he would be fired if Van Treese learned he'd been stealing from the business.
GOP Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond ordered a case review in 2023. Investigators found that potentially exculpatory evidence was withheld during the trial, namely that Sneed was being treated for bipolar disorder and was on drugs.
Only Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented in the decision, but Justice Amy Coney Barrett believed the state's appeals courts should decide the matter. In the majority opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said that "the prosecution violated its constitutional obligation to correct false testimony."
The Supreme Court found that "evidence of Sneed’s bipolar disorder, which could trigger impulsive violence when combined with his drug use, would have contradicted the prosecution’s portrayal of Sneed as harmless without Glossip’s influence." There was also a box of evidence that was destroyed.
According to Drummond's review, the evidence included masking tape, a shower curtain, and motel receipts that the convicted killer's attorney, Don Knight, failed to use. Meanwhile, Glossip has always claimed to be innocent despite two convictions.
In 1998, Glossip was convicted for the first time but granted a new trial upon appeal. His second 2004 trial also yielded a conviction, and Glossip has now spent nearly half his life behind bars.
The family of Van Treese still believes that Glossip should be put to death. Even with the convicted and sentence tossed, the state maintains that Glossip is likely not entirely innocent.
While the Supreme Court has granted a new trial, it doesn't mean Glossip is off the hook. The state believes he may be guilty of aiding and abetting a crime after the fact.
The crime does not carry a death, but still points to a possible role in the crime. Meanwhile, Drummond championed the Supreme Court's decision which will allow a new trial for Glossip free of the previous errors.
"The right to a fair trial is a fundamental protection of our liberty. I am grateful the Supreme Court agreed with what I have said since reading the independent counsel’s report: Richard Glossip did not receive a fair trial. We can all be thankful that a man who was unfairly convicted and sentenced to death no longer faces execution," Drummond posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.
The right to a fair trial is a fundamental protection of our liberty. I am grateful the Supreme Court agreed with what I have said since reading the independent counsel’s report: Richard Glossip did not receive a fair trial. We can all be thankful that a man who was unfairly…
— Gentner Drummond (@gentnerdrummond) February 25, 2025
The justice system doesn't always get everything right, but there are mechanisms for rectifying the situation when there are mistakes. It's still unclear whether Glossip is entirely innocent, but at least he will have a new trial that is fair and unbiased.
The internet has plans for Barron Trump, son of President Donald Trump, as he becomes New York University's most eligible bachelor, The List reported. Some are suggesting he pair up with Princess Leonor of Spain.
When asked about how his son was doing at NYU, President Trump said that he was popular with the ladies but that he never had a relationship. Now, some are trying to play matchmaker for the 18-year-old.
"Barron Trump and the Princess of Spain Leonor are a match made in heaven. Same age, no previous relationships, good values, good looking and with a powerful family. Prove me wrong," conservative influencer Ada Llunch posted to X, formerly Twitter, with a side by side photos of Barron and the princess.
Barron Trump and the Princess of Spain Leonor are a match made in heaven.
Same age, no previous relationships, good values, good looking and with a powerful family.
Prove me wrong.
H/T @ArturoVilla_ pic.twitter.com/Vhau1ju9tj
— Ada Lluch (@ada_lluch) October 19, 2024
Barron and Princess Leonor of Spain are both royals of a sort and are equals in status, good looks, and other aspects. "Same age, no previous relationships, good values, good looking and with a powerful family," one user to X wrote.
Another user noted that they would be the next power couple. "If we can't make the Trumps King of America, might as well make Barron the King of Spain," the user said.
In reality, this would not work as Barron would not be conferred a title since he would outrank the princess. Also, there's the matter of royal duties to consider if Princess Leonor of Spain were to become queen.
"The Queen consort, or the consort of the Queen, may not assume any constitutional functions, except in accordance with the provisions for the Regency," the Spanish government explains on its website. Of course, this is a moot point as the princess is rumored to already be paired up with Gabriel Giacomelli.
The tabloid rumor is that Princess Leonor of Spain met Giacomelli, the son of a wealthy New York family, at boarding school. However, other news outlets say that they are just friends which means it's still a possibility for the princess and Barron if internet matchmakers get their way.
Although the celebrity gossip mill is busy finding a wife for Barron, the reality is that his life as the son of a president complicates matters. Even while attending classes at NYU, the younger Trump is followed by Secret Service for his own protection, which certainly puts a damper on romantic pursuit.
Still, a devoted son like Barron Trump will likley turn to his mother, first lady Melania Trump, for her guidance and perspective. She's well known as a doting mother and has herself navigated fame, fortune, and in later life, the world of politics.
"She is and has been a good sounding board for him. She tries to normalize his life. If that is even possible," someone close to the family shared with People.
When Barron decides to settle down and get married, it will no doubt have to be with someone his mother approves of first. The Trump family is very close, and the first lady has always been a hands-on mother even as Barron grows into adulthood.
Barron is a young, handsome man with a bright future. Perhaps he will settle down young and start a family sooner rather than later, but for now he remains a sought-after suitor.
Two toddlers, cousins from neighboring homes, were killed on Saturday in rural Cambodia when a decades-old grenade blew up near their homes.
Muo Lisa and her cousin, Thum Yen died after discovering the grenade when they were playing together while their parents did farm work, and it exploded.
The grenade was left over from fighting between Cambodian government soldiers and Kmer Rouge communists in the 1980s and 90s, one of an estimated four to six million unexploded ordinances left in the area after the fighting ended.
Old unexploded munitions become more volatile as they age, making them particularly dangerous.
“Their parents went to settle on land that was a former battlefield, and they were not aware that there were any land mines or unexploded ordnance buried near their homes,” Director General of Cambodian Mine Action Center Heng Ratana said.
The center determined it was a rocket-propelled grenade after analyzing the fragments. “It’s a pity because they were too young and they should not have died like this.”
About 20,000 people in Cambodia have died and 45,000 have been injured since the fighting ended in 1998. As time goes on, those numbers have decreased; only 49 people died last year from unexploded munitions.
“The war is completely over and there is fully peace for more than 25 years, but the blood of the Khmer (Cambodian) people continues to flow because of the remnants of land mines and ammunition,” Ratana said on his Facebook page.
Cambodia has some of the most experienced deminers in the world, and they have helped other countries remove unexploded munitions.
It may be that the Guardian and other news outlets decided to write this story because U.S. aid for Cambodian demining was suspended as part of President Donald Trump's 90-day freeze on foreign aid.
Of course, the incident prompted the government to issue a waiver for the program so it can continue, Ratana told the Guardian.
It's sad that the left uses tragedies like this in an attempt to make Trump look bad.
Part of the point of freezing aid was to determine which efforts are worthwhile and which ones are wasteful.
The worthwhile efforts will no doubt be reinstated while the dead weight can be dropped.
For over a week, the political and tech worlds have been abuzz amid the allegation that DOGE leader Elon Musk fathered a 13th child last year with a conservative influencer.
Now, as the situation has escalated into a legal battle for custody and establishment of Musk's paternity, details of the Telsa and X billionaire's concerns about threats on his life have emerged via text messages he seemingly believed would not see the light of day, as the Daily Mail explains.
It was on Valentine's Day that Ashley St. Clair, a self-styled MAGA-affiliated influencer, took to social media to announce that Musk had fathered her son, who she says was born in September 2024.
“Five months ago, I welcomed a new baby into the world. Elon Musk is the father,” St. Clair wrote.
She continued, “I have not previously disclosed this to protect our child's privavy and safety, but in recent days it has become clear that tabloid media intends to do so, regardless of the harm it will cause. I intend to allow our child to grow in a normal and safe environment. For that reason, I ask that the media honor our child's privacy, and refrain from invasive reporting.”
St. Clair's dealings with Musk appeared to deteriorate further after her public declaration, as she later wrote in a now-deleted X post that she and her representatives had been “trying to communicate for the past several days” in order to complete a parenting agreement, only to be met with silence from the world-renowned entrepreneur.
That message came in response to an X post from Musk reacting to an account that shared a purported screenshot in which St. Clair joked about hoping to lure him into a relationship, with the DOGE chief writing, simply, “Whoa.”
The saga took yet another intriguing turn on Friday, when St. Clair filed a court petition to have Musk legally recognized as the baby's father and to obtain full custody of the child, as Fox News noted.
St. Clair's attorneys appended a series of exhibits to the petition, including a photo of Musk holding the baby as well as a series of screenshotted messages their client exchanged with the alleged father of her child.
Among the dialogues posted was one in which Musk described the security concerns with which he deals on a daily basis, something he said prompted the need for St. Clair's absolute discretion when it came to the baby.
“I get credible death threats every day. I'm #2 after Trump for assassination. Wake up. This is not the time for sentiment at the expense of safety. If I make a mistake on security, [the baby] will never know his father,” Musk wrote.
St. Clair responded that those worries were the reason the child's birth certificate did not list the father's name and why the baby's last name was not recorded as Musk, comments that prompted Musk to reply, “Necessary for now. Only the paranoid survive.”
St. Clair told the court in her petition that Musk has not seen his new son since a 30-minute visit in November, has never sought additional contact, and has never requested photos or updates on his progress, facts she says justify her quest for sole custody.
With accusations now swirling from fellow conservative influencer Isabella Moody and journalist Laura Loomer that St. Clair had embarked on a clandestine, years'-long campaign to seduce Musk, the battle between the young child's parents seems poised to yield all sorts of unsavory details that reflect poorly on just about everyone involved.
Pope Francis continues to be hospitalized due to severe lung infections and pneumonia as some wonder whether he may consider resigning, Breitbart reported. He would be the second consecutive pope to do so after his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, stepped down for health reasons.
The Vatican reported a "slight improvement" to his health as of Thursday after being admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Feb. 14. Still, it's a long road ahead for the 88-year-old pontiff who has endured a series of illnesses in recent years.
Francis currently suffers from complex respiratory infections, including viral, bacterial, and other pathogens that led to pneumonia in both lungs. He also has asthmatic bronchitis, which is a chronic condition that already makes breathing difficult.
Doctors have ordered "absolute rest" for Francis to recover. However, several cardinals are already suggesting that he take the route of his predecessor after Benedict XVI "opened the door" to resignation as an option.
Benedict announced in 2013 that he would step down from his position as the head of the Catholic Church. It was the first time in 600 years that it happened, and he cited ailing health and the inability to travel.
Now, it seems many believe Francis could take the same route, given his condition. "Everything is possible," Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille, France, said.
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi similarly believes that Francis may step down if his condition doesn't improve. "There is no question that if he was in a situation where his ability to have direct contact (with people) as he likes to do … was compromised, then I think he might decide to resign," Ravasi said.
It's likely that the road back to health will be a long one if Francis even makes it out of the hospital. He had a portion of one lung removed and is in poor physical condition, though his heart is still strong.
Still, Francis has said in the past that the pontificate is a vocation for a lifetime. During his most recent hospital stay, Francis still conducted the business of the church, including appointing new cardinals.
There's no shame in stepping down from the office of the pope if Francis is no longer able to assume his duties. However, it would be admirable to see him continue on with his pontificate amid intense suffering.
Catholics believe that enduring suffering, or embracing one's cross, is noble and can be offered up for the salvation of souls. Many, including Cardinal Comastri, believe that Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II, is an example of such heroic suffering.
"The image we saw on television is unforgettable," Castri told the National Catholic Reporter in 2020. "The pope, who had lost all his physical strength, holding the Crucifix in his hands, gazing at it with pure love. One could sense he was saying: 'Jesus, I too am on the Cross like you. But together with you, I await the Resurrection.'" the cardinal recalled.
"John Paul II was a true master of pain redeemed by love and transformed into an antidote to selfishness: a redemption of human selfishness. This is possible only by opening one’s heart to Jesus: only with Him can one understand and give value to pain," Castri said.
Catholics throughout the world are praying for Pope Francis' recovery. The pontiff may sometimes be controversial, but like any father, he's still worthy of love and prayers from his children.