Pope Francis suffering from kidney failure in addition to pneumonia

Rome: Pope Francis is suffering from "initial, mild kidney failure" in addition to the serious respiratory illness that has left the 88-year-old pontiff in critical condition in a Rome hospital, the Vatican said Sunday.

Describing a "complex" clinical picture, the Vatican said that the kidney ailment was "at present under control," and that there had been no repeat of the respiratory crisis that the pope had experienced Saturday.

The pope was "alert and well oriented," the Vatican said, and he attended Mass in his suite along with the medical staff caring for him.

Blood tests indicated the early stages of kidney failure, the Vatican said, but also showed that Francis' anemia had improved. He was still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen, it said.

Because of the "complexity of the clinical picture," and because it would take time for the drug therapies to "provide some feedback," his doctors said that the situation remained critical.

Prayers for Francis poured in from around the world, as concerns mounted about his health.

In his homily Sunday at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan called for those present to "pray with and for" Francis. He also said what no one at the Vatican has publicly admitted: that Francis might not recover.

"We of the Catholic family, and so many of our friends and neighbors find ourselves this morning at the bedside of a dying father," Dolan said. "As our Holy Father, Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health and probably close to death."

On Saturday, the Vatican had said that Francis had had a long "asthmatic respiratory crisis" that required "high flows of oxygen." He also had a blood transfusion, but was alert, according to the Vatican, which is issuing bulletins in consultation with the medical staff at the hospital as well as the pope's doctor at the Vatican.

Francis was admitted to the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli on Feb. 14 with a complex respiratory tract infection that developed into pneumonia in both lungs. Doctors said the calibration of his treatment was especially complex because of his age, and preexisting lung disease.

Speaking to reporters Friday, doctors had for the first time described Francis' condition as critical, adding that his situation could change day by day. Sergio Alfieri, a surgeon who is on Francis' medical team, has said that the pope had told him that he was aware of his own fragility and that his health was precarious. "He told us both doors are open," he said.

The Vatican said Sunday that Francis was using oxygen, was conscious and apparently experiencing discomfort associated with his trouble breathing.

The pope's already full schedule had intensified since December, with the beginning of the 2025 Jubilee, a year of faith, penance and forgiveness of sins that takes place every quarter century. But the hospital stay has meant the pope has had to cancel all imminent engagements.

At a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica for deacons Sunday, Archbishop Rino Fisichella called for "stronger and more intense" prayers "for the Lord to assist him in his time of trial and illness."

In a written message instead of the Sunday Angelus prayer he normally delivers in St. Peter's Square, Francis said he was continuing "confidently" with his "necessary treatment" in the hospital, adding: "and rest is also part of the therapy!" He thanked his doctors and those who have sent him messages of support, and asked people to pray for him.

Many were. At noon -- the traditional time of the Angelus prayer -- dozens of faithful gathered in the square in front of the Gemelli hospital. Some prayed silently or lit votive candles to place at the foot of a statue of St. John Paul II, another former patient of the hospital, alongside colorful balloons with "get well" wishes for Francis. Others recited the rosary.

Massimo Chiarucci and Sonia Salaro came to Rome from Latina, some 70 kilometers away, to pray that he recover.

"He's like a grandfather, someone dear to us, that's part of our lives," said Salaro, a housewife. "We brought our prayers because he has to get better. He still has a lot to do. There's a need for his intercession " said Chiarucci, a surveyor.

Silvana Serrani, a resident of Rome who is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Francis was once an archbishop, said the pontiff was a man who always put the poor first. "He was always a very simple man," she said. "Let's hope he gets better."

For days now, prayer vigils have also been held around the world. A Mass to pray for Francis' recovery was scheduled for later Sunday at the Basilica of St. John Lateran that was being presided over by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar general of the Diocese of Rome. At the Gemelli, the preceding vicar general of Rome, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, said he was one of many praying for Francis, "to ask for help to the Lord in this moment."

"We hope the pope can feel the strong embrace of all those who love him, there are so many," De Donatis said. "And we wish him to continue his service."