March 2, 2 p.m. EST: Pope Francis’ condition ‘remains stable’; recent bronchial spasm crisis has not caused any negative consequences
Pope Francis’ clinical condition “has remained stable again today,” according to the reassuring medical update from his doctors at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, which the Vatican released at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 2.
It said that the pope “has not required non-invasive mechanical ventilation,” as was the case on Friday afternoon when he had the bronchial spasm crisis, and to an extent on Saturday; now he requires “only high-flow oxygen therapy.”
“He does not have fever,” the medical report confirmed, repeating what the doctors reported in all recent bulletins.
“Given the complexity of his clinical condition,” however, the pope’s doctors continue to retain “a guarded prognosis,” which means he is not yet out of danger.
Today’s update from the pope’s doctors dispels the widespread alarm and concern caused by Friday’s bronchial spasm. An informed Vatican source confirmed that “there have been no negative consequences from that crisis.” He said the pope now receives oxygen through nasal canullas, as he did earlier in the past week.
The report from the Vatican gave additional information: “This morning, the Holy Father participated in Holy Mass together with those caring for him during these days of hospitalization, after which he alternated between rest and prayer.”
Dr. Anna Lisa Bilotta, who works in the Salvator Mundi International Hospital in Rome and is not treating the pope, told America that according to this latest medical report, “the acute situation caused by the bronchial spasm seems resolved. Nevertheless, Pope Francis has to continue receiving oxygen but no longer with mechanical ventilation.” Commenting on the fact that the doctors remain cautious and maintain “a guarded prognosis,” Dr. Bilotta said, “This is justified by the complexity of his condition caused by different pathologies he has, as well as his age.” The pope is 88 years old.
March 2, 8 a.m. EST: Pope Francis says war seems ‘even more absurd’ from his hospital bed in Angelus message
“I pray above all for peace. From here, war appears even more absurd,” Pope Francis said in a message from his bed in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for the midday Angelus on Sunday, March 2.
The pope invited people to pray especially for “the martyred” Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
This is the pope’s 17th day in the hospital, where he is being treated for double pneumonia.
His condition was described as “stable” and “improved” in the latest medical update on March 1, after suffering a second setback caused by a bronchial spasm on the afternoon of Feb. 28.
The Vatican reported this morning that Francis had “a tranquil night.” A Vatican source reported that the pope had breakfast, including coffee this morning, and read some newspapers before continuing his respiratory therapy. He added that the pope is not bedridden—he sits in his armchair—but needs assistance to move around in the apartment or go to the chapel.
Also this morning, Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the two most senior Vatican officials, visited Pope Francis in the hospital for the second time, the Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed.
Pope Francis normally reads the Angelus message from the papal study window on the third floor of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace at noon on Sundays; for the third Sunday is a row, he has instead sent a written message from his room on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital.
“Sisters and brothers,” he said, “I am still sending you these thoughts from the hospital, where as you know I have been for several days, accompanied by doctors and health care professionals, whom I thank for the attention with which they are taking care of me.”
“I feel in my heart the ‘blessing’ that is hidden within frailty because it is precisely in these moments that we learn even more to trust in the Lord,” he said.
“At the same time, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to share in body and spirit the condition of so many sick and suffering people,” he added.
Millions of people across the world, and not only Catholics and Christians but also Muslims, Jews, Buddhists as well as followers of other religions and those with no religion, are praying for him. Pope Francis has been informed of this in the hospital, and again today, he expressed his gratitude for these prayers and well wishes.
“I would like to thank you for the prayers, which rise up to the Lord from the hearts of so many faithful from many parts of the world: I feel all your affection and closeness and, at this particular time, I feel as if I am ‘carried’ and supported by all God’s people. Thank you all! I pray for you, too,” he said.
In today’s message, he directed people’s attention to the world’s conflict situations and the populations suffering in these wars.
Francis, as he does every Sunday, began with a brief reflection on the Gospel that is read in churches worldwide on that day. In the text of this Sunday’s Gospel (Lk 6:39-45), he said Jesus makes us reflect on two of the five senses: sight and taste.
With regard to sight, he said: “[Jesus] asks us to train our eyes to observe the world well and to judge our neighbor with charity. He says: ‘Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye’ (v. 42). Only with this gaze of care, not condemnation, can fraternal correction be a virtue. Because if it is not fraternal, it is not correction!”
About taste, he remarked: “Jesus reminds us that ‘every tree is known by its own fruit’ (v. 44). And the fruits that come from man are, for example, his words, which ripen on his lips, since ‘for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks’ (v. 45). Rotten fruits are violent, false, vulgar words; good ones are the just and honest words that give flavour to our dialogues.”
Pope Francis concluded his reflection by saying: “And so we can ask ourselves: How do I look at other people, who are my brothers and sisters? And how do I feel looked at by others? Do my words have a good flavor, or are they imbued with bitterness and vanity?”
Pope Francis concluded his message today by inviting believers to join him and “entrust ourselves confidently to Mary, our Mother.” He ended by wishing everybody, “Happy Sunday, and arrivederci,” meaning “until we meet again.”
In today’s message, Francis again prayed for “the martyred Ukraine.” Earlier in the week, on Feb. 26, Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the major archbishop of Kyiv-Halych and head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, sent a letter to the pope “on behalf of the bishops, priests, monks and nuns, as well as all the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.”
“In this moment of physical frailty and suffering, let us ask the Lord to give you the strength of the Holy Spirit, so that you can continue your apostolic mission of peace and hope in the contemporary world, wounded by wars,” the archbishop said.
He thanked Francis for his constant support for Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian aggression, with particular reference to the gestures made by Francis before his hospitalization, including the gift to the various political leaders of the book on the new martyrs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Persecuted for the Truth. He said, “May the faces of the martyrs of the totalitarian communist regime speak to today’s leaders with the truth about the past and be a warning against the triumph of evil in the contemporary world."
A press communique said the Ukrainian archbishop has invited the clergy, monks, nuns as well as the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to join in prayer for the Holy Father and asks the different communities to accompany Pope Francis with prayer and fasting in this period of affliction and struggle against illness.
