Pope Francis is sharing in the joy of this weekend’s soccer victories of Italy and Argentina, says the Vatican.
The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, shared this in an update he communicated in today’s July 12 statement.
“In sharing the joy of the victory of the Argentina and Italy’s national teams with the people who are close to him,” Bruni said, “His Holiness dwelt on the meaning of sport and its values, and on that sporting ability to be able to accept any result, even defeat: ‘Only in this way, in front of life’s difficulties, we can always take a challenge, and with hope and trust, fight without giving up.’”
In the statement, Bruni said the Pope spent a quiet day “and completed the post-operative course.”
“In order to optimize the medical and rehabilitation therapy,” he continued, “the Holy Father will remain hospitalized for a few more days.”
To Optimize Rehab, Pope Francis to Stay a Few More Days in Hospital
Yesterday, the Pontiff followed in the tradition of Francis’ predecessor, John Paul II, who on various occasions prayed the Angelus from the Roman hospital known for caring for popes on its 10th floor. Before yesterday’s Angelus, Bruni told accredited journalists, the Pontiff wished to meet some young patients from the nearby oncology ward with their families. It was these young patients who then accompanied the Pope to the terrace on the tenth floor on the occasion of the Marian prayer. Afterward, the Holy See Press Office Director said, the Pope greeted the hospitalized patients on the floor, chatting briefly with the medical and nursing staff.
Moreover, yesterday afternoon, the Holy Father celebrated Mass in the private chapel with the staff who assist him daily.
In these days, Pope Francis has expressed his closeness to children with cancer or going in for brain surgery, as well as to all who suffer.
On Wednesday afternoon, in a message, the Pope “expressed his paternal closeness to the young patients in the nearby pediatric oncology and children’s neurosurgery wards, sending them his affectionate greetings.”
Statements have confirmed that the Pope is continuing with good and satisfactory progress and acknowledged that the final histological examination “confirmed a severe diverticular stenosis with signs of sclerosing diverticulitis.”
Here is the Vatican-provided English statement given by Matteo Bruni in today’s noon bulletin, providing the most recent update on the Pope:
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His Holiness Pope Francis spent a quiet day and completed the post-operative course.
Yesterday, before the recitation of the Angelus, he wished to meet some young patients from the nearby oncology ward with their families who, subsequently, accompanied him to the terrace on the tenth floor on the occasion of the Marian prayer.
At the end, he greeted the hospitalized patients on the floor, chatting briefly with the medical and nursing staff.
In the afternoon he celebrated Holy Mass in the private chapel with the staff who assist him daily.
[Working translation by Exaudi’s Deborah Lubov of Vatican-provided official statement]
