ROME — As Pope Francis enters his fifth week of hospital care for double pneumonia, there are encouraging signs regarding his recovery and health. Despite his condition, he continues to focus on one of his key initiatives: reforming the Catholic Church to become more inclusive and responsive. This week, while recovering at Gemelli hospital, the Pope sanctioned a comprehensive three-year plan to implement and evaluate these ambitious reforms. The Vatican’s synod office, tasked with managing assemblies of bishops, revealed a detailed schedule for these initiatives, extending through 2028, that received Pope Francis’ approval.
In a recent update, Vatican officials stated that medical staff are attempting to lessen the Pope’s need for a nighttime ventilation mask, hoping his lungs can soon function with greater independence. Doctors emphasized that though Pope Francis’ condition is relatively stable, his hospitalization remains necessary for ongoing physical and respiratory therapy, both of which are slowly yielding improvements.
The pontiff’s routine while receiving treatment involves a balance of prayer, rest, and some light work. The Vatican announced that it would now offer medical updates on the Pope’s health less frequently, considering this development a positive one. The next detailed medical report is anticipated mid-next week, and the brief early morning updates on the Pope’s rest have been discontinued.
Doctors have cleared that the situation is not life-threatening any longer, but they continue to highlight the complexities due to the Pope’s age, mobility challenges, and past health issues, including losing part of a lung in his youth. Pope Francis was admitted on February 14 following a severe bronchitis attack and was later diagnosed with double pneumonia coupled with a polymicrobial infection.
The first weeks of his hospital stay were fraught with various challenges, including respiratory distress, minor kidney issues, and severe coughing spells. More recent updates, however, focus on his ongoing physiotherapy routines and the switch from high-flow oxygen during the day to a ventilation mask at night – aids to ensure he gets adequate rest. An X-ray taken this week confirmed that the pneumonia infection is showing signs of clearing. The exact duration of his hospital confinement remains uncertain.
Despite the limitations, Pope Francis has been participating in the Lenten spiritual exercises, carrying out a less demanding workload than usual. His papacy anniversary was marked by receiving a cake and numerous messages of goodwill.
The Pope’s sole public presence since being hospitalized was an audio message broadcasted in St. Peter’s Square, conveying gratitude for the prayers towards his recuperation. The message was delivered in a strained and soft voice during a night’s rosary prayer. For the past four Sundays, the Pope’s traditional blessing, typically given from a St. Peter’s Square window, has been issued as a written text only.
