'New Stage' Ahead for Pope Francis, Say Optimistic Advisors

Pope Francis, hospitalized for five weeks with pneumonia, is recovering well, with his closest advisers expressing optimism about his health and hinting at a transformative phase in his 12-year papacy. Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Vatican chief of staff, and Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, doctrine chief, offered hopeful updates as the 88-year-old pontiff progresses at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.

Peña Parra, who visited Francis on February 24, March 2, and March 9 with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, described him as “serene, in good humor, and tough,” predicting full recovery. “Doctors say he needs time, but it’s going well progressively,” he said at a book launch. The Vatican press office confirmed Friday that Francis’ condition remains stable, with slight improvements as he reduces reliance on supplemental oxygen and no longer needs a nighttime ventilation mask, continuing respiratory and physical therapy.

Fernández, an Argentine ally, ruled out resignation rumors, forecasting “a new stage” with potential surprises once Francis is discharged. “He’s a man who’ll pull something unexpected out of the hat,” he said, noting the pope’s resistance to hospitalization on February 14 for bronchitis-turned-pneumonia. Friends threatened to quit unless he sought treatment, revealing his workaholic streak. “He wants to use his time, not care for himself,” Fernández said, suggesting this ordeal might shift his approach.

Admitted with a severe lung infection—complicated by a youth-era lung surgery—Francis hit the five-week mark Friday. Fernández expects the experience, though taxing, to yield “fruitful” outcomes for the Church and beyond, as rehabilitation restores his strength. The advisers’ confidence signals a resilient pontiff poised to redefine his legacy.