At the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, Vance said he wasn’t there to litigate “about who’s right and who’s wrong,” and credited Francis as one who “cares about the flock of Christians under his under his leadership.”

The Vatican strongly cautioned against publishing “news” that would harm the reputation of an individual, especially someone who is deceased, when it comes to priests accused of abuse and not found guilty in civil or canonical procedures.

The 88-year-old pope continues his slow recovery from double pneumonia, with results of more medical tests expected later Thursday.

The number of Americans who identify as Christian has declined steadily for years, but that drop shows signs of slowing, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center.

Signed by the pope and dated Feb. 11, three days before Pope Francis was hospitalized, the decree was released by the Vatican Feb. 26.

Canon law states that a pope can resign, but it stipulates that the papal resignation must be “made freely and properly manifested”—conditions that would be difficult to ascertain if a pope were already incapacitated.