VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Four weeks after Pope Francis was hospitalized and one day after the 12th anniversary of the pope’s election, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, celebrated a Mass for the pope with ambassadors accredited to the Holy See. “We gather in prayer this morning with the intention of the health of…
Reading 1 Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25 Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, had recourse to the LORD. She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids, from morning until evening, and said: “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you. Help me, who am alone and have no help…
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis spent the 12th anniversary of his election to the papacy undergoing physiotherapy at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, but he was well enough to celebrate it in little ways. Along with the health care workers treating him, the pope — who has been hospitalized for nearly a month — had a…
Reading 1 Jonah 3:1-10 The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,according to the LORD’s bidding.Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;it took three days to go through…
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis’ condition continues to be stable and a chest x-ray “confirmed the improvements recorded in the previous days,” his doctors said, but without saying his double pneumonia had cleared up completely. The 88-year-pope is still using high-flow oxygen through a nasal tube during the day and “noninvasive mechanical ventilation” with…
Reading 1 Isaiah 55:10-11 Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down And do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, Giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, So shall my word be that…