Pope Follows Lenten Retreat From Hospital; His Condition Remains Stable

As Pope Francis’ condition remains stable, which is a sign of continued improvement, he followed the start of the Lenten retreat for the Roman Curia by video linkup and met again with two top Vatican officials to stay abreast of current events, the Vatican press office said.

Pope Francis and His Praise of Bocce

At a recent meeting at the Vatican, Pope Francis praised the social aspects of bocce and emphasized that, unlike other sports dominated by billionaire stars, bocce allows “normal people” to excel. “It is a sport that I associate
with a certain type of sociality, of social friendship,” he said.

Pope Suffers Further Setback, Put Back on Ventilation

Amid what is now his third week in the hospital, Pope Francis Monday suffered what doctors described as two incidents of “acute” respiratory difficulty that required him to be put back on a ventilator.