Pope will 'carry out mission to end'

EVEN though Pope John Paul is increasingly unable to complete his speeches as a result of Parkinson's disease, he can still carry out his mission and shows no sign of resigning, several cardinals said yesterday.

Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls, though, hinted that the time might come when the Vatican has to reevaluate how to cope with a pontiff who has so relied on his skills as a communicator during his 25-year papacy but can no longer speak.

"His mind, his capacity for projecting things, for putting new goals, is absolutely intact," said Navarro-Valls.