While Pope Francis battles pneumonia in hospital, work at the Vatican, headquarters of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, continues apace. Although certain doctrinal matters require the pope's direct attention,

The Vatican says that Pope Francis’ clinical condition is “improving slightly,” adding that he went about his work activities from the hospital where he is recovering from pneumonia.

Pope Francis, 88, was hospitalized last Friday with bronchitis, the Vatican said, and now has a “polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract.”