Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - Before reciting the midday Angelus prayer from his study-window on Sunday 12th February with thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square the Pope mentioned the World Day of the Sick which the Church celebrates every February 11th, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The principal event this year was in Adelaide, Australia. “Sickness is typical of the human condition- the Pope said -, to the point that it can be a realistic metaphor, as St Augustine expresses in his prayer: "Lord have mercy on me! See: I do not hide my wounds from you. You are the doctor, I am the patient; you are filled with mercy, I am in need of mercy" (Conf., X,39). Christ is the true ‘doctor’ for humanity”: he was sent by the heavenly Father into the world to heal mankind suffering in body and spirit from sin and its consequences.”
The Pope recalled the Sunday Gospel which tells of Jesus who begins his public life of preaching and healing the sick: “The many wondrous signs he works to heal the infirm confirm the ‘good news’ of the Kingdom of God” the Pope said. Jesus’ desire to heal the leper “is a perfect manifestation of God’s desire to heal his fallen creature and restore him to life ‘in abundance’, the fullness of eternal life and happiness. Christ is ‘the hand’ of God who leads humanity away from the shifting sands of illness and death, helping it to stand up again on the firm rock of God’s love”. Lastly the Holy Father entrusted all those who are sick to Our Lady Salus infirmorum “Health of the Infirm” “in a special way all who in different parts of the world suffer not only from ill health, but also solitude, poverty, marginalisation” and he also made a special mention of those who “assist the sick and strive to help them recover”.
After the Marian prayer the Pope mentioned the Winter Olympic Games just opened in Turin, northern Italy and said he hoped this positive sports competition would “take place in the Olympic spirit and values of honesty, joy and brotherhood, helping thus to further peace among peoples”. The Pope them mentioned the anniversary of the Holy See’s own radio station Vatican Radio: “Today 12 February is the 75th anniversary of the launching of Vatican Radio and the first radio message broadcast by Pope Pius XI, who asked Italian scientist Guglielmo Marconi to set up a radio station for the Holy See. Through radio and later television the message of the Gospel and the words of the Popes reached more rapidly and more easily all peoples.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 13/2/2006 - righe 30, parole 441)
