Pope Francis in critical condition with early kidney failure amid pneumonia and lung infection

Pope Francis continued to be in a critical state on Sunday, with medical tests indicating early renal insufficiency, though he stayed conscious and "well-oriented," and participated in Mass, according to Vatican officials, as the elderly pontiff, aged 88, fights against pneumonia and a serious lung infection.
The Vatican's evening bulletin indicated that Francis experienced no additional respiratory difficulties since Saturday night, though he continued to require substantial oxygen supplementation.
Medical reports revealed "initial, mild, kidney failure," which doctors confirmed was manageable. The reduced platelet count, essential for blood clotting, initially detected on Saturday, remained unchanged.
The medical team stated that "The complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback, dictate that the prognosis remains reserved."
In New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan said what church leaders in Rome weren't saying publicly: that the Catholic faithful were united “at the bedside of a dying father.”
“As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death,” Dolan said at St. Patrick's Cathedral, without saying if he had independent information about the pope's condition.
Francis was due to lead Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday morning and ordain deacons as part of the Vatican's ongoing Holy Year observance.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella led the Mass instead and offered a dedicated prayer for Francis from the altar before delivering the pope's prepared homily.
"Despite his hospital confinement, we sense Pope Francis's presence amongst us," Fisichella addressed the hundreds of deacons in white robes.
A pre-written statement intended for Francis to read Sunday but remained undelivered stated he was "confidently continuing my hospitalization at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment; and rest is also part of the therapy!" The message requested prayers and acknowledged the upcoming anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, "a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity."
In Francis's homeland Argentina, faithful Catholics offered prayers at the Buenos Aires cathedral while in Cairo, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar and close associate of Francis, expressed his wishes through a Facebook post.
Roman schoolchildren sent numerous get-well cards to the Gemelli hospital, whilst Italian bishops conducted rosary prayers and special Masses throughout Italy.