MANILA – The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Wednesday asked the faithful to pray for Pope Francis who has been hospitalized since last week due to pneumonia.

“Prayers, Please. Pope Francis is currently hospitalized and is undergoing treatment for pneumonia. Despite his condition, doctors say he remains in good spirits and has expressed gratitude for the prayers he has received,” CBCP president Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile the Vatican reported that Pope Francis is suffering from double pneumonia.

“Laboratory tests, chest X-rays, and the clinical condition of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture," the Vatican News reported on Tuesday evening.

The Holy See Press Office gave the latest update on the Pope’s health since he was hospitalized on Friday to receive treatment for bronchitis.
The statement added that the Pope's "polymicrobial infection, which has arisen in the context of bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis, and has required the use of corticosteroid and antibiotics, makes the therapeutic treatment more complex.”

“A follow-up chest CT scan, to which the Holy Father was subjected this afternoon—prescribed by the Vatican medical team and the medical staff of the “A. Gemelli” Polyclinic Foundation—revealed the onset of bilateral pneumonia, requiring additional pharmacological therapy.”

“Nevertheless," the press release adds, "Pope Francis remains in good spirits.”

The Press Office statement concludes by noting that the Pope had "received the Eucharist and, throughout the day, alternated between rest, prayer, and reading. He expresses his gratitude for the support he feels at this time and kindly asks that prayers for him continue.”


Cardinal David said the Vatican has canceled all of the Pope’s engagements as he battles the complex respiratory infection.
“May I ask for your prayers for his healing and recovery during this challenging time,” the Caloocan City prelate stated.

Meanwhile, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown has appealed for prayers for the speedy recovery of the pope.

"I appeal to everyone to please pray for the Holy Father, pray for his speedy recovery, and let us also pray for all the doctors and nurses who are taking care of him," he said in an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas.

Vatican News said a chest CT scan conducted on the Holy Father showed the onset of bilateral pneumonia, which requires additional pharmacological treatment.

On Feb. 14, the 88-year-old pontiff was confined at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome due to bronchitis. (PNA)