Papal update for Wednesday; no General Audience today as he follows the Spiritual Exercises of the Roman Curia

 

Rome's Gemelli Hospital where Pope Francis is being treated  (ANSA)

POPE

• medicine & health
• Pope Francis

Pope rests well overnight, follows Spiritual Exercises amid improvement

Pope Francis had a restful night and is continuing his treatment and physical therapy, the Holy See Press Office said on Wednesday, two days after the Pope's doctors said his prognosis was no longer guarded even if he requires more time in the hospital.

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11/03/2025

Pope Francis shows slight improvements in overall complex medical picture

By Vatican News

Pope Francis had a restful night, according to a statement published on Wednesday morning by the Holy See Press Office. The Pope continued following the spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia this morning via video link, as he did the past two days, and is continuing his treatment and respiratory and mobility-related physical therapy.

A medical bulletin giving an update on the Pope's health will be issued this evening.

On Tuesday night, the Press Office provided an update on Pope Francis’ day, noting he followed the spiritual exercises at the Vatican via video link with the Paul VI Hall, spent time in prayer, in his room but also in the chapel, and received the Eucharist. THe Pope continued the usual high-flow oxygen therapy throughout the day, 

Pope Francis' clinical situation remains stable with doctors confirming slight improvements within a context that nevertheless remains complex.

The Holy Father has been hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli Hospital since 14 February when he was admitted for a bout of bronchitis.

His prognosis is no longer guarded, but his doctors say he requires more time in the hospital.

A detailed medical bulletin was not issued Tuesday evening, as in previous days, in view of the stable health situation.

Today, there will not be a distribution of the Wednesday General Audience catechesis given that this week the spiritual excercises of the Roman Curia are taking place.

Lenten Spiritual Exercises for the Roman Curia

 

Fr. Roberto Pasolini, OFM Cap, delivers the second reflection of the 2025 Spiritual Exercises for the Roman Curia 

VATICAN

• Roman Curia
• prayer

Spiritual Exercises of the Curia: The end of all judgment

The Preacher of the Papal Household, Fr. Roberto Pasolini, OFM Cap, delivers the second reflection of the 2025 Spiritual Exercises of the Roman Curia, which is focused on the theme: “The end of all judgment.” Here is a summary:

By Fr. Roberto Pasolini, OFM Cap

The parable of the Final Judgment, narrated in the Gospel of Matthew and depicted in Michelangelo’s famous fresco, is commonly interpreted as a call to charity.

However, a closer analysis reveals a surprising perspective: it is not a judgment in the traditional sense but rather a declaration that unveils the reality already lived by each person.

The criterion for entering the Kingdom is not religious affiliation but concrete love for the least of our brothers and sisters, who, in the Gospel perspective, represent Christ’s disciples.

The primary responsibility of Christians is not merely to do good but to enable others to do so.

Moreover, the parable overturns the common understanding of judgment: both the righteous and the wicked express astonishment at the King’s words, indicating that the good done among them was carried out in all naturally and without excessive attention.

This suggests that access to eternal life does not depend on moral performance but on the ability to live in love without calculation.

The Catechism states that, at the end of time, the Kingdom of God will be fully revealed, transforming humanity and the cosmos into “new heavens and a new earth” (CCC 1042-1044).

This hope is rooted in Christ’s promise, calling us to live even now with this perspective—not with performance anxiety, but with the trust that God Himself will transform our humanity into His image and likeness, according to the plan of love that has existed from the beginning.

Jesus proclaimed eternal life not as a distant future reality but as a condition already accessible to those who listen to His word and believe in the Father (John 5:24). The Gospel invites us to recognize that eternal life has already begun; it is manifested in the way we live and love, opening ourselves to the transforming presence of God.

The true surprise of the Final Judgment will be discovering that God had no expectations of us other than recognizing ourselves fully as His children, already immersed in His eternity.

The Hope of Eternal Life
Spiritual Exercises 2025 of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia
2. The End of All Judgment
(Monday, March 10, 9:00 AM)