HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – South Florida Catholics are coming together in prayer after the Vatican confirmed Saturday that Pope Francis was listed is in critical condition as he continues to battle severe health issues.
The Vatican said Francis, whose legal name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection.
Rev. Robert Ayala, of Nativity Catholic Church in Hollywood, shared his deep concern for the 88-year-old Holy Father with Local 10′s Cody Weddle.
“He’s been an incredible Holy Father,” Ayala said. “He’s led the church and as a shepherd of the flock, we obviously want the best for him.”
At a pre-carnival event at the church, the pontiff’s health was a main topic of conversation among the faithful.
Virginia Stewart, a local Catholic, expressed her commitment to prayer.
“I pray for him and I say my rosaries for him every day,” she said.
Richard Amsden, another local parishioner, reflected on the severity of the Pope’s condition.
“He has bronchitis, he’s 88 years old and now with double pneumonia,” Amsden said. “Certainly he’s always in our prayers and we know that Jesus is the divine physician. And we pray that he’ll take care of him.”
For many Catholics, Francis is one of the few popes they have known in their lifetimes, and they are reflecting on his nearly 12-year papacy as they hold onto hope for his recovery.
Amal Khouzam, a young parishioner, praised the Pope’s example.
“(There’s) like an image of Christ in him,” she said. “Just the fact that he mirrors Christ in what he does.”
Despite the sudden nature of his health decline, the faithful remain hopeful that modern medicine and their prayers will help reverse his condition.
Ayala called on the broader community to unite in prayer.
“I hope that whoever is watching, whoever is listening, that they would join us whether they are Catholic or not,” Ayala said. “Because at the end of the day, he is a human being and if we are one family under God, then we care for each other.”