"Around America. Conquest and evangelization"By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service
Pope Francis' condition remains stable, and an X-ray has shown a slight improvement from his persistent lung infection, the Vatican press office has reported.
The pope continues to show improvement in his mobility and ability to speak, the press office told reporters April 1. The pope continues to receive supplemental oxygen through a nasal cannula during the day and high-flow oxygen at night when needed. He can remove the nasal tube for "brief periods" throughout the day.
He spends much of his day doing physiotherapy to regain the level of mobility he had before being hospitalized on February 14 due to respiratory difficulties. He was subsequently diagnosed with double pneumonia, as well as viral and fungal lung infections. Although the pneumonia cleared up before his March 23 release from the hospital, the 88-year-old pope still has a persistent lung infection, which showed "slight improvement" on a recent X-ray, the press office said.
Continuity of treatment
The Pope continues to follow the prescribed pharmacological and respiratory treatments and, as last week, his voice shows some improvement after having been very weakened during his long convalescence. His blood tests this week were also in the normal range.
The Pope is receiving external visitors, according to the press office. He is assisted by his personal secretaries, there are always medical personnel on duty and his doctors visit him regularly.
The Holy Father concelebrates Mass every morning in the small chapel near his rooms, on the second floor of his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthaeand works during the day at his desk. The Pope is in "good spirits" and is grateful for the many expressions of affection from the faithful, the press office added.
Possible appearance on Sunday
The Vatican plans to release the text prepared for the Pope's weekly general audience on April 2, the press office said, and the homily it has prepared for an April 6 Mass as part of the Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers will be read by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who was already scheduled to preside at that Mass.
The press office said it was too early to know whether the pope would appear in any form for the Sunday Angelus on April 6 or have a message for the 20th anniversary of St. John Paul II's death on April 2, which was to be marked by a memorial Mass in St. Peter's Basilica to be preceded by Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
