Vice President JD Vance acknowledged Pope Francis’ criticism of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, without responding to any of its specifics or to the pontiff’s apparent criticism of Vance’s own deployment of Catholic tradition to justify such policies.

Vice President JD Vance led the audience at the 20th National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in prayer for the ailing Pope Francis, who has criticized the Trump administration over its immigration policy.

Doctors have suggested Pope Francis has overcome the most critical phase of pneumonia after recovering from the infection for two weeks. Father Dave Dwyer says most Catholics are unlikely to call for the pope's resignation.

The Vatican said Friday that Pope Francis is on a breathing machine after suffering a sudden respiratory episode during his hospitalization.

The development marked a setback in what had been two successive days of increasingly upbeat reports from doctors treating Francis.

Francis remains in critical condition but has not suffered any additional crises, the Vatican said Sunday evening, after reporting Saturday the pope suffered a “long asthmatic respiratory crisis” days after he was hospitalized for pneumonia.

Pope Francis was in critical but stable condition Tuesday, with his blood parameters remaining stable and no new respiratory crises, as he worked from the hospital while battling double pneumonia, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia, remains in critical condition for the fourth day running but is stable and has not had any further respiratory crises, the Vatican said on Tuesday.