Pope’s prognosis remains ‘reserved’ as he continues to work

The Vatican bulletin published at noon on Tuesday revealed he had met the Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the sostituto Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra the day before.

The Pope’s prognosis was still “reserved”, the Vatican said on Tuesday, after a day in which his condition “remained critical, but stable”.

A statement from the Holy See Press Office on Tuesday evening said Pope Francis had undergone a CT scan to monitor the double pneumonia diagnosed on 17 February three days after his admission to the Gemelli Hospital. It did not report any change in his condition.

The statement said he did not suffer any “acute respiratory episodes” like the “crisis” reported on Saturday which prompted widespread alarm. On Monday, the hospital’s chaplain Fr Nunzio Corrao led prayers for the Pope in which he asked “for Abraham’s faith, the spes contra spem, the hope against all hope” (Romans 4:18), according to the ANSA news agency.

A statement from the Vatican on Monday evening reported a “slight improvement” in the Pope’s condition, and said he had resumed his work that afternoon.

The Vatican bulletin published at noon on Tuesday revealed this had included an audience with the Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the sostituto, or papal chief of staff, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra. This was his first confirmed meeting with officials since his hospitalisation, and followed reports of a meeting with Parolin last week which the Vatican denied.

During Monday’s meeting, Pope Francis authorised a series of decrees from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints advancing a number of causes and decided to convene a consistory regarding the next canonisations, the bulletin said.

He made a series of episcopal appointments in Brazil and appointed Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton, in Canada, to succeed Archbishop Michael Miller of Vancouver. He also appointed two new secretaries general of the Governorate of Vatican City, and gave Sr Raffaella Petrini FSE, who will assume the presidency of the Governorate on 1 March, the authority to determine their responsibilities.

The Tuesday evening statement said Pope Francis had “resumed his work activities” after receiving the Eucharist in the morning.

Prayers for the Pope’s health continued in Rome and around the world. From Monday, the Gemelli Hospital held a daily hour of Eucharistic adoration to express “even stronger support and solidarity” with him.

On Tuesday, Rome’s resident cardinals again said the Rosary for the Pope in St Peter’s Square, with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle leading the prayer.

Vatican reports ‘slight improvement’ but Pope’s condition remains critical

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