Pope Francis suffers two bouts of respiratory distressPope spends a day without complications and publishes a bookFor almost three weeks now, the Holy See Press Office has begun the day by reporting on how the Pope has spent a good night. Francis usually devotes a large part of his day to respiratory therapy and physiotherapy, following the treatment planned by specialists. For example, this morning, March 5, he received high-flow oxygenation through nasal cannulas, a measure aimed at improving his respiratory capacity. In the morning he called Father Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Holy Family in Gaza.
Health status
The medical report sent this afternoon explains that the Pope had no episodes of respiratory failure and spent the day in an armchair.
This morning the Holy Father participated in the rite of the blessing of the Holy Ashes which was imposed on him by the celebrant and then received the Eucharist. Afterwards, he engaged in some work activities.
What is the Pope working on?
Almost every day the Vatican medical report says that the Pope has dealt with various matters of his work in the curia. But what work is involved, and with whom and how exactly does the Holy Father work? The truth is that it is not easy to know, but looking at the curia announcements of these days, something can be intuited.
For example, we know that on two occasions he has received Cardinal Parolin and Msgr. Peña Parra, the two top officials of the Secretariat of State. Perhaps the Pope has not personally received many more people, among other things because of the risk of contagion of diseases due to his delicate respiratory condition.
Specific jobs
In recent weeks the Vatican has published the Pope's weekly catechesis every Wednesday. For example, that of today I was reflecting on the Virgin and St. Joseph meditating on the scene of the child Jesus lost and found in the temple.
Last week, the following were announced developments in the cases of various people who were in the process of beatification and canonization. Yesterday, March 4, the publication of a new book by the pope, this time on poetry, was announced.
The theme chosen by Pope Francis for the 111th anniversary of World Migrants Day, "Missionaries of Hope", whose Jubilee will be celebrated in the first week of October, has also been published. Finally, his messages that he has sent to various international congresses or appointed bishops from various regions of the world during his hospital stay have also been made public.
It is understood that all this activity goes ahead thanks, above all, to the work of the Pope's collaborators, but it also requires his approval. Evidently his pace of work will be much slower, but a part of the Vatican machinery continues its work with the abnormality that the long hospital stay entails.
