At the conclusion of his Angelus address on February 11, Pope Francis recalled that the day, the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, is also the World Day of the Sick.
“The first thing we need when we are ill is the proximity of loved ones, of healthcare professionals and, in our heart, God’s closeness,” the Pope said. “We are all required to be a neighbor to those who suffer, to visit the sick as Jesus teaches us in the Gospel.”
“Therefore, today I wish to express my closeness, and that of the entire Church, to all those who are sick or frail,” he continued. “Let us not forget God’s style: proximity, compassion and tenderness.”