Argentines have long waited for Pope Francis to visit the homeland he left in 2013 to become the head of the Roman Catholic Church. With his health delicate as he battles double pneumonia, the return seems increasingly unlikely now to happen.

Over the weekend, the Vatican announced serious complications in the recovery of Pope Francis. The 88-year-old pontiff, who has been hospitalized for 10 days, is battling pneumonia and on Sunday also appeared to be in the early stages of kidney failure, the Vatican said.

The newly appointed Archbishop of Johannesburg, Cardinal Stephen Brislin, led a prayer service on Sunday attended by numerous South African Catholic worshippers, focusing on Pope Francis's health and recovery as he fights double pneumonia.

Francis has weighed in publicly before on ethics for end-of-life medical situations, but it is unknown whether he has made known his own wishes should he face such a crossroads.

And there are no specific norms outlining what happens to the leadership of the Catholic Church if a pope becomes totally incapacitated. As a result, even though Pope Francis remains hospitalized ...