St. Lawrence Parish

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- During his long and fruitful pontificate, St. John Paul II embraced the entire world, which stands yet again in need of his blessing, Cardinal Pietro Parolin said.

"Bless us, Holy Father John Paul II. Bless the Lord's church on its journey, that it may be a pilgrim of hope. Bless this lacerated and disoriented humanity, that it may find the way back to its dignity and its highest vocation, that it may know the riches of God's mercy and love," the cardinal said during a memorial Mass in St. Peter's Basilica April 2, the 20th anniversary of the late Polish pope's death. 

Hundreds of faithful attended the Mass, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a small government delegation representing Poland as well as cardinals and bishops living in Rome and diplomats accredited to the Vatican.

Retired Polish Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, who served as St. John Paul's personal secretary from 1966 until the pope's death in 2005, greeted and thanked all those who were present.

"Our hearts go out to the Holy Father Francis," who could not attend as he continues to recover in his residence, the Polish cardinal said. "We know that right now, he is spiritually united with us." 

"We pray for his health, that the Lord will give him the strength he needs to lead the pilgrim church in this Jubilee Year, under the banner of hope in these difficult times for the church and also for the world," the cardinal said.

Pope Francis had sent Cardinal Dziwisz a letter before his hospitalization Feb. 14, expressing his wishes for a peaceful Holy Year lived in a spirit of hope and offering his blessings to all those taking part in events April 2.

Cardinal Parolin, who began serving in the Vatican Secretariat of State under the late pope starting in 1986, gave the homily, which recalled the legacy and spirituality of the Polish pope, whose pontificate of more than 26 years was the third longest in history.

Pope John Paul exclaimed "with impressive force from the very first unforgettable homily at the inauguration of his pontificate, 'Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ,'" who knows what humanity is meant to be and points the way to eternal life, the cardinal said. 

Because of that conviction, the late pope "could address with authority and firmness not only the Catholic faithful, but also peoples and government leaders," urging them to "be aware of their responsibility to defend justice, the dignity of human persons and peace," he said.

"We remember with gratitude and admiration his tireless service of peace, his passionate warnings, his diplomatic initiatives trying to avert wars" even when he was experiencing difficult moments in his life and "the fragility of physical strength was already evident," Cardinal Parolin said.

St. John Paul never gave up, he said, even while "many of his appeals remained unfortunately unheeded, as happens even to great prophets."

Another unforgettable hallmark of Pope John Paul's legacy, he said, was the great Holy Year of 2000 and his ushering the church and the world into the third millennium. 

The pope invited the church to confidently set out to sea and cast wide its nets with the new evangelization, he said.

"His words continue to inspire us and are echoed today by his successor, Francis, in this new jubilee," which also sees the church's faithful as setting out into "troubled waters, but still pilgrims of hope," he said, "guided by Peter's successor and assisted by the Holy Spirit."

Like the "countless pilgrims who continually come to this basilica and ask for his intercession at the altar where his body rests," Cardinal Parolin prayed the saint would continue to bless all the faithful, the church and humanity so that everyone would know God's mercy and love.

After the Mass, dignitaries processed to St. John Paul's tomb to pray. Cardinal Dzivisz placed a lit white candle on the altar and four representatives of Poland set a large bouquet of red and white roses, the colors of the Polish flag, next to the tomb, which was adorned with many flowers. 

Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the papal vicar of Rome, read a prayer, asking for the saint to bless the world's young people and the faithful so they would be "tireless missionaries of the Gospel today."

"Bless every family," he said, underlining how the pope warned against "Satan's assault against this precious spark of heaven that God has lit on earth. Make us strong and courageous in defending the family."

"Pray for the whole world, scarred by so many injustices and lacerated by absurd wars, which turn the world into a bloody battlefield, deliver us from war, which is always a defeat for everyone," Cardinal Reina said.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Department of Migration and Refugee Services, in collaboration with the National Association of Evangelicals, World Relief, and the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, has released a report entitled “One Part of the Body: The Potential Impact of Deportations on American Christian Families.” This comprehensive analysis highlights the profound impact that mass deportations could have on Christian families and congregations across the United States if carried out in the way some policymakers have proposed.

The report underscores that roughly one in twelve Christians in the United States—and one in five Catholics specifically—either face the risk of deportation or live in a household with someone who does. The report further emphasizes the impact of mass deportations on every Christian believer, beyond those who could be directly affected by such enforcement efforts. On this point, Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, and representatives of partner organizations introduced the report by articulating, “The Apostle Paul describes the church of Jesus Christ as ‘one body’ that is ‘not made up of one part but of many,’ each of which is distinct from and yet interdependent upon the other parts (1 Cor. 12:13-14). Furthermore, we are called to both rejoice and to suffer together: ‘If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it’ (1 Cor. 12:26). Just as the hand cannot go about its business unaffected if the foot is in debilitating pain, whenever one part of the church is suffering, the whole is called to suffer alongside.”

The information presented in this collaborative report draws on extensive data analysis and first-hand testimonies to paint a vivid picture of how the proposed scope of deportations could affect Christian families, local congregations, and American communities in general.

Key findings include:

• Over ten million Christian immigrants in the United States are vulnerable to deportation, including those with temporary protections that could be withdrawn.
• Nearly seven million Christians who are U.S. citizens live in households with someone at risk of deportation.
• 80% of immigrants vulnerable to deportation identify as Christians, with 61% being Catholic and 13% identifying as evangelical Christians.

Ultimately, the report calls on all Christians to recognize and respond to the human consequences of unmitigated deportation efforts and for a thoughtful and compassionate approach to immigration policy that promotes justice, while also protecting the God-given dignity of every person and the sanctity of families. The full report is available on the USCCB website at: https://www.usccb.org/resources/one-part-of-the-body.pdf

###

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- God is always merciful toward everyone, Pope Francis wrote.

"He heals our wounds so that we can love each other as brothers and sisters," he said in the text he prepared for the midday Angelus prayer March 30.

While the 88-year-old pope was back at the Vatican and had appeared briefly on the balcony of Rome's Gemelli hospital March 23, the Sunday he was discharged, to offer his blessing, he was following doctors' orders to rest and did not make a televised or public appearance.

The pope's message focused on the day's Gospel reading, the parables of the lost sheep and the lost son from Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. The Pharisees are scandalized instead of happy that sinners are being welcomed by Jesus, so Jesus tells them the parable of the son who squandered his inheritance and repented and was still loved and welcomed by his father.

"This is how Jesus reveals the heart of God: He is always merciful toward all," the pope wrote.

"Let us live this Lent as a time of healing, all the more as it is the Jubilee," he wrote, saying he, too, was experiencing this period as a time of healing "in my soul and in my body." 

"That is why I give heartfelt thanks to all those who, in the image of the Savior, are instruments of healing for their neighbor with their word and their knowledge, with kindness and with prayer," he wrote. "Frailty and illness are experiences we all have in common; all the more, however, we are brothers in the salvation Christ has given us."

Like the other messages he released on Sundays, the pope also called for prayers for peace, including in Myanmar, "which is also suffering so much because of the earthquake," and he made two urgent appeals.

Concerning the increasing instability in the wake of the collapse of the government of national unity in South Sudan, the pope renewed a "heartfelt appeal to all leaders to do their utmost to lower the tension in the country."

"We must put aside our differences and, with courage and responsibility, sit around a table and engage in constructive dialogue. Only in this way will it be possible to alleviate the suffering of the beloved South Sudanese people and to build a future of peace and stability," his message said.

Also in Sudan, "the war continues to claim innocent victims," he said, urging the international community to "increase its efforts to address the appalling humanitarian catastrophe."

"I urge the parties concerned in the conflict to put the safeguarding of the lives of their civilian brothers and sisters first; and I hope that new negotiations will begin as soon as possible, capable of securing a lasting solution to the crisis," the pope wrote.

The pope also praised "positive events" taking place in the world, for example, "the ratification of the agreement on the demarcation of the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which is an excellent diplomatic achievement. I encourage both countries to continue on this path."

WASHINGTON – Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop George J. Lucas, 75, from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Omaha, and has appointed Bishop Michael G. McGovern of Belleville, as his successor. 

The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, D.C. on March 31, 2025, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The Archdiocese of Omaha is comprised of 14,051 square miles in the State of Nebraska and has a total population of 1,035,885, of which 241,011, are Catholic.

###

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- God's forgiveness is the source of hope for the faithful, Pope Francis wrote.

"Indeed, with his mercy, God transforms us inwardly, he changes our heart," he said in a message to priests celebrating the Jubilee of the Missionaries of Mercy in Rome.

"We can always count on him in any situation. God made himself man to reveal to the world that he never abandons us," the pope's message said. 

The Vatican released the pope's message to the priests, which was read by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization's section for new evangelization and the chief organizer of the Holy Year 2025, during a March 29 meeting and training session.

The Jubilee celebration, March 28-30, had been scheduled to include a meeting with Pope Francis March 29 and Mass the next day. However, the pope was not present at those events since doctors recommended he rest for two months after returning to the Vatican from Gemelli hospital March 23 for double pneumonia.

Pope Francis instituted the "missionaries of mercy" apostolate in 2015 for the special mission of preaching about God's mercy and, especially, to encourage Catholics to rediscover the grace of the sacrament of reconciliation. More than 1,100 priests were chosen by the Vatican and commissioned during the Holy Year of Mercy, and today there are more than 1,200 missionaries of mercy on all five continents. 

In his message, dated March 19, the pope thanked the priests because they "bear witness to the paternal face of God, infinitely great in love, who calls everyone to conversion and renews us always with his forgiveness."

"Conversion and forgiveness are the two gentle touches with which the Lord dries every tear from our eyes; they are the hands with which the church embraces us sinners; they are the feet on which we walk in our earthly pilgrimage," the pope wrote.

Pope Francis encouraged the priests in their ministry as confessors to be "attentive in listening, ready to welcome and constant in accompanying those who wish to renew their own lives and return to the Lord." 

About 500 missionaries of mercy registered for the pilgrimage to Rome, which included a penitential liturgy at the Rome Basilica of Sant'Andrea della Valle March 28 and a Mass celebrated there by Archbishop Fisichella on Sunday. 

Msgr. Graham Bell, undersecretary of the dicastery's section for new evangelization, led the liturgy March 28, which was part of the worldwide Lenten prayer and penance initiative, "24 Hours for the Lord." Begun by the pope in 2014, it invites at least one Catholic church in every diocese to be open all night -- or at least for extended hours -- for Eucharistic adoration and confession.

In addition to the few wooden confessionals in the 17th-century basilica, more than a dozen areas in different corners and pews were available for confession in several languages. Priests took turns hearing each other's confessions before dedicating themselves to hearing confessions from other penitents or to silent prayer.

Among the hundreds attending were some missionaries of mercy from the United States who spoke with Catholic News Service March 28.

Father Eloy Rojas, originally from Venezuela, is a hospital chaplain in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, where, he said, he brings "hope and love to the sick and dying," especially those nearing the end of their life on earth. 

As a missionary of mercy, he is also bringing hope to those seeking "new life" through confession by communicating and connecting with penitents "with empathy, love and compassion," he said.

Father Bernard Olszewski said their role is to be mediators between the penitent and the merciful face of God.

Instead of a "duel," he said, that encounter must be "like a duet, a dance that is learned." They help others "learn the steps, to dance with God, and to rediscover that relationship with God which may have been lost."

Their mission is to reassure the repentant that they can leave the confessional "a new person," transformed with the capacity to do good, to be better and to be the person God calls them to be," he said. "There is nothing more powerful than that."

While the pope granted the missionaries the faculties to forgive certain sins in cases otherwise reserved to the Holy See, the priest said, "we're not super confessors." 

They were commissioned "to exemplify that loving attitude, that warm embrace that God offers to us each and every day, but some of us don't have the opportunity to recognize or to accept it," he said.

Pope Francis "wants no obstacle between the penitent and the forgiveness," Father Olszewski said, because very often it is those grave sins that maintain "that wall, which do not allow the penitents to access immediately and definitively the forgiveness of God."

Msgr. Ted Bertagni said God's mercy is the path to hope. "You only have hope if you can experience that mercy."

When someone "comes to reconciliation, they want to be renewed, they want to be restored, they want to get back into the grace with God" to "build up their faith again," he said. This is why confession is "a very uplifting thing for the priest as well as for the penitents."

"I think people don't go to reconciliation that often simply because … they're afraid that they'll be judged," Msgr. Bertagni said.

When the faithful come for reconciliation, he said, the priest is "there to be open arms," to unconditionally love them "as the father unconditionally loves and forgives you."

Missionaries of mercy celebrate jubilee

About 500 missionaries of mercy came to Rome for their Jubilee; they attended Mass, penitential liturgy, received message from pope.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Home from the hospital after more than five weeks, Pope Francis is showing "slight improvements" in his breathing, ability to speak and mobility, the Vatican press office said.

The 88-year-old pope, released from Rome's Gemelli hospital March 23, is following doctors' orders and is focused on his recovery, the press office told reporters March 28.

His days are devoted to prayer, breathing exercises, physical therapy, rest and handling paperwork sent from Vatican offices to his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

Each morning, he concelebrates Mass in the small chapel down the hall from his bedroom and private office, the press office said. 

Pope Francis has not received any visitors, it said. He spends each day with members of his medical team -- one of whom is on duty 24 hours a day -- and with his private secretaries.

The pope was praying March 28 for victims of a massive earthquake that caused death and destruction in Myanmar and Thailand, the press office said.

In a telegram sent to civil and church authorities in the two countries, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, said the pope was "deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread devastation."

"Pope Francis offers heartfelt prayers for the souls of the deceased and the assurance of his spiritual closeness to all affected by this tragedy," the message said. The pope also prayed that emergency workers would be given "the divine gifts of fortitude and perseverance."

The pope was hospitalized Feb. 14-March 23 after a case of bronchitis worsened, making it difficult for him to breathe. He was diagnosed with multiple infections and then with double pneumonia, resulting in several life-threatening breathing crises.

The Vatican press office said that since the pope was released from the hospital, he has had a reduced need for supplemental oxygen and is using high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula during only part of the night.

The results of blood tests performed March 26 were within the normal range, the press office said. Before they discharged the pope, his doctors said he would continue drug therapy at home to deal with mycosis, a fungal infection, and the press office said he was continuing that medication.

Pope Francis watched the livestream March 28 of the Lenten meditation for cardinals and senior members of the Roman Curia offered by Capuchin Father Roberto Pasolini, preacher of the papal household. 

While the Vatican published a schedule of major Holy Week and Easter liturgies March 27, the press office said it was too soon to know if the pope would be in attendance.

Polish President Andrzej Duda visited the Vatican March 28 and met with Cardinal Parolin. Among the gifts the Polish president brought was a rosary for Pope Francis.

Duda and his wife also were at the Vatican March 27, making a pilgrimage to the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica for the Jubilee Year and praying at the tomb of St. John Paul II.

The Vatican press office announced March 28 that Cardinal Parolin would preside at a memorial Mass in St. Peter's Basilica April 2, the 20th anniversary of the death of the Polish pope.
 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As Pope Francis continues his convalescence, the Vatican published a full calendar of Holy Week and Easter liturgies with no indication of who would preside or be the main celebrant.

The list of Masses and other liturgies, released by the master of papal liturgical ceremonies March 27, said only that the services would be celebrated by the "Pontifical Chapel," which includes the pope, the cardinals residing in Rome and top Vatican officials.

Asked about Pope Francis' role in the celebrations, the Vatican press office responded that "it will be necessary to see the improvements in the pope's health in the coming weeks to assess his possible presence, and on what terms, at the rites of Holy Week."

The 88-year-old pope was released from Rome's Gemelli hospital March 23 after a 38-day stay for breathing troubles, infections and double pneumonia. His doctors recommended two months of rest. 

The list of liturgies published goes from the celebration of Palm Sunday April 13 through the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday April 27 with the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis as part of the Jubilee of Teenagers.

A Vatican source said that while it is hoped Pope Francis would be present to proclaim Acutis a saint, all that is necessary is that he sign a decree of canonization; he can delegate someone else to preside over the rite. Acutis, an Italian, died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15.

Missing from the Vatican schedule is the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper and foot washing ritual. Since becoming pope in 2013, Pope Francis has celebrated the Mass at a prison, hospital or detention facility and the location always has been announced separately from the public papal Holy Week schedule. 

Even though Pope Francis has celebrated the Mass elsewhere, the parish of the Basilica of St. Peter at the Vatican has its own evening Mass of the Lord's Supper.

Pope Francis' long-term struggle with bronchitis and breathing problems had led to changes in previous Holy Week liturgies. Last year, he skipped reading his homily on Palm Sunday, opting for a moment of silence instead.

In both 2023 and 2024, illness also led him to skip the nighttime Way of the Cross service at Rome's Colosseum.

The following is the schedule of liturgies published by the Vatican:

-- April 13, 10 a.m. Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square.

-- April 17, 9:30 a.m., chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.

-- April 18, 5 p.m., Liturgy of the Lord's Passion in St. Peter's Basilica.

-- April 18, 9:15 p.m., Way of the Cross at Rome's Colosseum.

-- April 19, 7:30 p.m. Easter vigil Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.

-- April 20, 10:30 a.m., Easter morning Mass in St. Peter's Square.

-- April 27, 10:30 a.m., Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday and the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis in St. Peter's Square. 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Jesus seeks out people in their woundedness and isolation to offer healing and hope, even when they feel furthest from God, Pope Francis said in a prepared catechesis.

"Jesus awaits us and lets himself be found precisely when we think there is no longer hope for us," the pope wrote in the text prepared for his general audience March 26.

Although Pope Francis returned to his residence at the Vatican March 23 after more than five weeks in the hospital, his general audience and other appointments were suspended to allow time for his recovery.

Jubilee pilgrims, even knowing Pope Francis was not holding an audience, continued to make their way to the Vatican and to the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica.

As part of his catechetical series for the Holy Year 2025, themed "Jesus Christ, our hope," the pope reflected on Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well as recounted in St. John's Gospel. The catechesis follows a previous reflection on the nighttime meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus.

Unlike Nicodemus, who went looking for Jesus, the Samaritan woman encountered him unexpectedly. She went to the well at an unusual hour -- noon, when it was very hot -- perhaps to avoid others. "She did not expect to find a man at the well at noon; in fact, she hoped to find no one at all," the text said. Yet Jesus chose to pass through Samaria and stop at that very place and time, waiting for her.

"Jesus here thirsts above all for the salvation of that woman," the catechesis said, explaining that Jesus' request -- "Give me a drink" -- reveals a divine desire to begin a relationship and offer the "living water" of grace.

Quoting St. Augustine, the pope wrote, "The one who asked for a drink was thirsting for the faith of the woman."

Jesus' knowledge of her difficult past of having had five husbands and now living with a sixth man is not a source of judgment, the pope's message said, but a starting point for healing. The woman is invited to read her story in a new light.

The number six, the catechesis noted, often symbolizes imperfection in the Bible. Jesus could be "an allusion to the seventh bridegroom, the one who will finally be able to satiate this woman's desire to be truly loved," it said. "And that bridegroom can only be Jesus."

Upon realizing who he is, the woman leaves behind her water jar -- a symbol, the pope wrote, of her past burdens -- and runs to tell others.

"Her past is no longer a weight," the catechesis said. "She is reconciled. And so it is for us: To proclaim the Gospel, we must first lay the weight of our own story at the feet of the Lord, surrendering to him the weight of our past."

True evangelization flows from the experience of being understood, welcomed and forgiven, the pope wrote. 

"Even if our stories seem heavy, complicated, perhaps even ruined, we always have the chance to surrender them to God and begin our journey again," the catechesis said. "God is mercy and always awaits us."

WASHINGTON – On the release of the pastoral framework, “Life is always a good” from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities welcomed the framework that proposes a methodology for pastoral planning and synodal discernment. 

Bishop Thomas stated that the framework affirmed the U.S. bishops’ nationwide and parish-based initiative, Walking with Moms in Need, which is marking its fifth anniversary: 

“We welcome today’s release of a pastoral framework entitled, ‘Life is always a good’ from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. On this thirtieth anniversary of St. John Paul II’s landmark pro-life encyclical, Evangelium Vitae (the Gospel of Life), the framework, addressed to Family and Life Offices of the Bishops’ Conferences and Dioceses throughout the world, proposes a methodology for pastoral planning and synodal discernment. The framework lays out themes including: ‘Beginning of Life;’ ‘Throughout the Course of Life;’ ‘End of Life;’ ‘Cross-cutting Themes;’ and ‘Research.’ These themes cover a wide range of life issues such as abortion, sexuality, violence against women, IVF, suicide, poverty, human trafficking, contraception, war, deportation, addictions, abortion healing, end-of-life care, persons with disabilities, as well as many others.

“The comments from Pope Francis, five years ago on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Gospel of Life, now invite readers to engage the pastoral framework: ‘Dear Brothers and Sisters, every human life, unique and unrepeatable, has value in and of itself; it is of inestimable value. This must always be proclaimed anew with the courage of the Word and the courage of actions. It calls us to solidarity and fraternal love for the great human family and for each of its members.’ (General Audience of 25 March 2020, 25th Anniversary of Evangelium Vitae)

“This framework affirms our own ‘Walking with Moms in Need’ nationwide and parish-based initiative which also celebrates its fifth anniversary today. Inspired by the Gospel of Life, the Walking with Moms in Need process follows the same approach as proposed in the framework: listening to needs at the local level; surveying available resources and gaps; discerning an appropriate response; launching a pastoral response; and evaluating and adapting that response to best accompany those in need. As noted in the framework, all of this involves the formation and engagement of the laity, with the encouragement of their pastors.

“This pastoral framework emphasizes that ‘we cannot separate faith from the defence of dignity and human life… Dignity exists and can never be lost because the individual exists; it extends to the entire person, regardless of his abilities, in any conditions and situations they may be, from conception to natural death. Today, this truth must be explained, narrated, and proclaimed.’ (Life is always a good)”

###

ROME (CNS) -- For Pope Francis' medical team at Rome's Gemelli hospital, Feb. 28 was the worst day.

"For the first time I saw tears in the eyes of some of the people around him," Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the coordinator of his medical team, told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

"We were all aware that the situation had deteriorated further and there was a risk that he might not make it," Alfieri said in the interview published March 25, two days after the pope was released from the hospital and returned to the Vatican.

The Vatican medical bulletin from Feb. 28 said: "The Holy Father, this afternoon, after a morning spent alternating between respiratory physiotherapy and prayer in the chapel, experienced an isolated episode of bronchospasm. This caused an episode of vomiting, which led to him inhaling some and a sudden worsening of his respiratory condition."

The doctors aspirated his airways and put him on noninvasive mechanical ventilation, a machine that delivers air with added oxygen through a tightly fitted face mask and using positive pressure to assist breathing.

Alfieri and Vatican officials have said several times that Pope Francis was never intubated and that he always remained "alert and aware."

The doctor told Corriere, "We had to make a choice between stopping and letting him go or pressing on and trying all the drugs and therapies we could, running the very high risk of damaging other organs. And in the end, we took that path."

Asked who made the final decision, Alfieri said, "The Holy Father always decides." 

But he added that Pope Francis had "delegated all kinds of health care decisions to Massimiliano Strappetti, his personal health care assistant who knows perfectly well the pontiff's wishes."

Strappetti, a nurse who worked in intensive care at the Gemelli, joined the Vatican health service in 2002 and has become Pope Francis' primary health care provider, working in consultation with the pope's physicians.

Strappetti advised, "Try everything, don't give up," Alfieri said. "That's what we all thought too. And nobody gave up."

Corriere also asked Alfieri if Pope Francis was aware of the danger he was in.

"Yes," he responded, "because he was always alert. Even when his condition worsened, he was fully conscious. That night was terrible; he knew, as we did, that he might not make it through the night. We saw the man in pain. However, from the first day he asked us to tell him the truth and wanted us to be honest about his condition."

After 38 days in the hospital, Pope Francis returned to the Vatican, but Alfieri and the other members of his medical team have said he will need two months to recuperate.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, spoke to reporters March 24 outside a meeting near the Vatican. He said he had not visited the pope yet because he wanted to allow him to rest.

The Secretariat of State and all Vatican offices keep working as normal, he said.

"I think that for the moment only the most important issues will be submitted to the pope, issues that require a decision on his part also so as not to tire him too much," Cardinal Parolin said. "Then as he recovers, we will return to the normal rhythm." 

Greeting people gathered outside the Gemelli hospital before leaving March 23, Pope Francis was obviously weak, and his voice was barely audible.

While his doctors have urged him to avoid meetings with large groups, Cardinal Parolin said he hoped the pope would be able to at least briefly greet Britain's King Charles III, who was scheduled to make a state visit to the Vatican April 8.

The pope's first days back home had a rhythm of rest, work, prayer and therapy, both respiratory and physical therapy, the Vatican press office said. A nurse was present 24 hours a day, and the pope was alternating between using high-flow oxygen, oxygen mixed with ambient air and not using the nasal cannula at all.

Pope Francis concelebrated Mass March 25, the feast of the Annunciation, in the small chapel near his room on the second floor of the residence, the press office added. It did not say who the other concelebrants were.