Just leave it to some media people, foreign and local, to create a scenario! What they need is some hypothetical question, at the right time, and the appropriate occasion.

Indeed this was the case when Pope John Paul II was planning to revisit Poland in August. On the occasion of the Pope's 82nd birthday, on May 18, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's comments had given rise to a series of resignation scenarios, most of which hingeing on the Pope's visit to his homeland. The Cardinal was just answering a hypothetical question then put to him by a Munich newspaper reporter.

A good section of the press easily jumped to the conclusion that what the Pope had in mind was a one-way trip to his native country where he would announce to the Poles, and to the whole world, his resignation in his former diocese of Krakow and eventually retire to a Polish monastery.

To add more tone and tune to the scenario was the fact that in August the College of Cardinals' number of voting members coincidentally was 120 - the upper limit set by conclave rules.

Facts spoke for themselves in Poland. His was far off from a one-way trip. Even during the Pope's pastoral visits to various countries one can easily conclude that if sometimes, on some days, he can do less, on the next day he recovers his energy and holds up pretty well.

As Cardinal Ratzinger says: "If there are days when the Pope is understandably tired, it is not true that he is no longer able to rule. He has become quieter; he talks less. But he listens very carefully and asks questions from which one sees how alert he is. He delegates many of the day-to-day tasks but he still looks after the important things himself."

Some other reporters believe the Pope, who suffers from a crippling neurological disease, has accepted the idea of eventual resignation but has not set any date. He will just keep going until he can go on no more, they say.

Some even surmise he has prepared a resignation letter as his Parkinson's leads him to physical incapacity. Other sources note that Pope Paul VI had written a similar letter, according to a recent book by his former secretary, Archbishop Pasquale Macchi.

The purpose of this letter would be to avoid administrative paralysis of the Church if the Pope is - perhaps suddenly - debilitated as to be unable to express his clear decision to resign.

Most Vatican officials are of the opinion, shared by millions of the faithful, that Pope John Paul has made his physical suffering an integral part of his papal ministry, giving his pontificate an added poignancy and definitely a different kind of impact in recent years.

The Pope is no doubt operating under limitations that are visible to all. At the same time he notes the big show of affection wherever he goes. And this encourages him beyond words. He has definitely set such a unique example of authentic courage in the face of physical trials.

Like many others, most of us firmly believe that the Pope would have the courage to resign if he believed that, for the glory of God and for the good of the Church, a healthier man were needed in the papacy.

No doubt, his therapeutic visit to his homeland and to his former diocese of Krakow, filled him with all the enthusiasm he needs at this "now" moment.