Commentary by Br. Alexis Bugnolo
As I said earlier this week, here, Pope Francis’ desire to prove himself healthy by pushing himself harder, was a sign of a bad state of mind, which would only lead to further deterioration of health. And today, Saint Valentine’s Day, confirmed that analysis, when Pope Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, for, it was said, problems with “bronchitis”.
But Gemelli is the Hospital famous for heart surgery. And indeed there are several hospitals closer to the Vatican: Bambino Gesu’ is only 500 ft away. Gemelli is about 6.8 KM, about 30 minutes in traffic.
Pope Francis’ situation is not simply a mild cold. Since he has cancelled his next 3 days of activities and will remain in hospital during that time. There are clearly other complications:
So I was right to speculate this morning there was something more grave that we were being told. And I was right: Associated Press is now reporting that Pope Francis has a fever. The medicine for his bronchitis also has caused water retention.
But water retention can also threaten the heart.
It remains to be seen whether Pope Francis has entered his last hospital. His condition by Monday should tell.
Pope John Paul II also insisted he was healthy enough in his last months. Refusing to remain in hospital, he caught a urinary tract infection which ultimately killed him. It was perhaps significant that he died in such a manner, since in the Bible God strikes down those who are impure with diseases of the venera. I refer to the explosive revelations of the Senatorial Commission Investigating the Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi.
