Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers

 The days 5th-6th April 2025 are being marked by the celebration of the Jubilee for the Sick and Health Care Workers. One feature of these days is an evening conference dedicated to considering how palliative care can bring hope to patients who are terminally ill and to their families, hosted by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross: Hospice=Hope. This report at the Jubilee 2025 website includes an account of a wide range of events that will be taking place across Rome during the Jubilee addressing such issues as the encouragement of blood donation, promoting awareness of issues around addiction and including moments of prayer and Eucharistic adoration: 20 000 people flock to Rome for Jubilee of the Sick and the World of Healthcare.

To reflect on this Jubilee we can take two motifs, one from Pope St John Paul II speaking to the sick in Lourdes in 1983, and the second from the opening words of Pope Francis' message for the World Day of the Sick in 2023:

Before all suffering, those in good health have a first duty: that of respect, sometimes even of silence.... Neither fair, nor unfair, suffering remains, despite partial explanations, difficult to understand and difficult to accept, even for those who have faith.

Illness is part of our human condition. Yet, if illness is experienced in isolation and abandonment, unaccompanied by care and compassion, it can become inhumane.

 When we look at the experience of illness in the life of Blessed Chiara Badano (known in the Focolare by the name "Luce", light), we can see something of both of these motifs. What we can also see is that accompaniment works in two directions: not only did Chiara's parents accompany Chiara in her illness but, in a very real sense, Chiara accompanied them during that time. It was an experience that they lived together. The two most remarkable aspects of Chiara's last weeks of life were, firstly, the extent to which, though unable to leave her bed, she kept in touch with friends from the Focolare movement; and, secondly, her refusal of morphine so that she could remain lucid and offer her suffering to Jesus, as she had no more than that to offer. Chiara exemplifies the three "small lights" - knowledge of the situation, acceptance and oblation - that Pope St John Paul II speaks of during his address to the sick in Lourdes. A full account of Chiara's life can be found here: Chiara Luce Badano - a radiant life. My own earlier posts about Chiara can be found here: Chiara Luce Badano.

Few of us will live the charism of an ecclesial movement with the depth and to the extent that Chiara Badano was able to do. The way in which she lived the time of her illness manifests a formation in that charism that, when her illness occurred, meant that she was able to live it to a heroic extent. 

Professor Jerome Lejeune provides us with a testimony of life of a doctor whose approach to his patients (and their parents) was one of profound respect. His daughter gives an account of the experience typical of families that sought his care when a new born had been diagnosed with Downs Syndrome, with the observation that it was a story they had heard countless times (Clara Lejeune, Life is a Blessing, p.35):

.. we went off to see this famous professor in a big hospital in Paris. It was both intimidating and reassuring. At the same time we thought to ourselves that it was no use. After all, the child's life was ruined.

The professor greeted us with a smile. He was courteous, friendly, but respectful. He turned to the baby, asked his name, and said to him, "Little Pierre, will you come with me?". He took him in his arms, asked the mother to put on a hospital gown, and offered her a seat. She sat down; he put little Pierre in her arms, sat down across from her and the father, and with a stethoscope examined the  child on his mother's lap. For us these simple gestures were like a revelation. It wasn't a patient this doctor was examining; it was our child.

Then he explained everything. What this illness is, what the future will be for the child and for us. He reassured us, responded to all our questions and fears.

Before leaving us he said to us, "If you wish, for your next appointment bring his older sister along. They, too, have the right to know and to understand." We left with our baby, all of us much calmer. He helped us to discover our love as parents.

In the Bull of Indiction (n.11) for the Jubilee Year, Pope Francis identified the sick as being among those to whom a particular sign of hope should be shown in the Jubilee year:

 Signs of hope should also be shown to the sick, at home or in hospital. Their sufferings can be allayed by the closeness and affection of those who visit them. Works of mercy are also works of hope that give rise to immense gratitude. Gratitude should likewise be shown to all those healthcare workers who, often in precarious conditions, carry out their mission with constant care and concern for the sick and for those who are most vulnerable.

Inclusive attention should also be given to all those in particularly difficult situations, who experience their own weaknesses and limitations, especially those affected by illnesses or disabilities that severely restrict their personal independence and freedom. Care given to them is a hymn to human dignity, a song of hope that calls for the choral participation of society as a whole.

Pope Francis' Message for the World Day of the Sick 2023

Saturday 11th February 2023, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, will see the celebration of the 31st World Day of the Sick. Pope Francis' message for the day was published on 10th January, with the title: "Take care of him" - Compassion as a synodal exercise of healing. Pope Francis refers to the parable of the Good Samaritan, and the reflection on that parable in his Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti (nn.56 ff) to discuss the phenomenon of abandonment that may accompany illness. I have added the emphasis in the quotation below:

Brothers and sisters, we are rarely prepared for illness. Oftentimes, we fail even to admit that we are getting older. Our vulnerability frightens us and the pervasive culture of efficiency pushes us to sweep it under the carpet, leaving no room for our human frailty. In this way, when evil bursts onto the scene and wounds us, we are left stunned. Moreover, others might abandon us at such times. Or, in our own moments of weakness, we may feel that we should abandon others in order to avoid becoming a burden. This is how loneliness sets in, and we can become poisoned by a bitter sense of injustice, as if God himself had abandoned us. Indeed, we may find it hard to remain at peace with the Lord when our relationship with others and with ourselves is damaged. It is crucial, then, even in the midst of illness, that the whole Church measure herself against the Gospel example of the Good Samaritan, in order that she may become a true “field hospital”, for her mission is manifested in acts of care, particularly in the historical circumstances of our time. We are all fragile and vulnerable, and need that compassion which knows how to pause, approach, heal, and raise up. Thus, the plight of the sick is a call that cuts through indifference and slows the pace of those who go on their way as if they had no sisters and brothers.

The suggestion that the person who is sick is able to allow others to express their own dignity as persons by caring for their brothers and sisters who are more vulnerable is an important one. Certainly the person who cares recognises and promotes the dignity of the person who is sick and, in the terms of the parable, does not abandon them at the roadside. But Pope Francis is suggesting that there is a certain reciprocal action here on the part of the person who is sick, encouraging them not to abandon in their turn the dignity of the person who cares for them, and for whom they should never feel they are a burden.

In the particular circumstances of today, Pope Francis calls us to the corporal work of mercy that is the visiting of the sick.

A sacrament for everyone?

Many of the Catholic faithful - certainly if my experience of Catholic life in England and Wales is anything to go by - could be forgiven for thinking that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament intended to be received by any Catholic whatever their circumstances. This misunderstanding is driven by the practice that will no doubt be seen in many parishes tomorrow of Father inviting anyone who wishes to receive the sacrament to do so, without any discernment as to their individual situations.

The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the annual World Day of Prayer for the Sick, is certainly an appropriate occasion to administer the sacrament - for those for whom it is appropriate.

So, who is the sacrament of Anointing intended for? According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church n.1514:

The Anointing of the Sick "is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived."

This is qualified in the Code of Canon Law c.1005 by the indication that, in case of doubt, the sacrament should be conferred:

This sacrament is to be administered in a case of doubt whether the sick person has attained the use of reason, is dangerously ill, or is dead.

The Catechism also indicates that it is appropriate to repeat the sacrament if, during an illness a person's condition becomes more serious, or in the case of frailty due to old age that frailty becomes more pronounced, or a person is about to undergo a serious operation.

All of this certainly indicates that a priest should be generous in his interpretation as to when the conditions for receiving the sacrament are met; and for those who suffer a chronic or long lasting illness, that occasions such as the World Day of Prayer for the Sick are an appropriate moment for them to receive the sacrament again.

But it does not justify the practice of anointing all and sundry (and justifying that practice, when justification is offered, on the grounds that "everyone is spiritually sick if they are not physically sick" - a superficial argument if ever there was one).

Pastorally, this question does matter. How can we expect those who are dangerously ill to truly value the sacrament at the point of their serious illness if they have passed a life time of Catholic practice seeing the sacrament being offered to everyone regardless of their being sick or not?

It is interesting, by way of conclusion, to read what the Catechism has to say about the effects of the celebration of the sacrament (Catechism of the Catholic Church nn.1250 - 1523). These effects are offered under three headings:

A particular gift of the Holy Spirit..... This assistance from the Lord by the power of his Spirit is meant to lead the sick person to healing of the soul, but also of the body if such is God's will.¹³⁵ Furthermore, "if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven".

An ecclesial grace. The sick who receive this sacrament, "by freely uniting themselves to the passion and death of Christ," "contribute to the good of the People of God".... 

A preparation for the final journey. If the sacrament of anointing of the sick is given to all who suffer from serious illness and infirmity, even more rightly is it given to those at the point of departing this life; so it is also called sacramentum exeuntium (the sacrament of those departing). The Anointing of the Sick completes our conformity to the death and Resurrection of Christ, just as Baptism began it. It completes the holy anointings that mark the whole Christian life: that of Baptism which sealed the new life in us, and that of Confirmation which strengthened us for the combat of this life. This last anointing fortifies the end of our earthly life like a solid rampart for the final struggles before entering the Father's house. 

Though it is less relevant to the circumstances in which the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick will be conferred tomorrow, this last consideration is perhaps somewhat neglected in our present practice of the sacrament. It offers a certain "hermeneutic of continuity" with the earlier understanding of the sacrament as described here by Fr Tim: The wonderful sacrament of anointing the sick:

So it is a wonderful thing to be called out to visit people who may have neglected the practice of their faith, yet have identified themselves as Catholic and can be assumed to have at least some habitual desire for the sacraments, and as a priest, to minister the sacrament of anointing and the Apostolic blessing with the plenary indulgence, and know that they have been helped on a fast track to heaven.

Or, at a time when I was a lay pastoral visitor in a hospital, to offer a referral for a visit from a Catholic priest that would have provided the occasion for such a "wonderful thing".

On the good use of illness

This is the title of a post reporting the words of Pope Benedict XVI at the Angelus in St Peter's Square on Sunday last, 5th February. The full text of the Angelus address is here, in Italian.

“Illness can be a salutary moment in which to experience the attention of others and to pay attention to others.".... Illness, the Pope added, is a typically human condition in which we feel strongly that we are not self-sufficient but need others.

For some, particularly those whose illness arises from old age and is therefore likely to extend over a longer period of time, the experience of depending on others is difficult. One of the things that I sometimes say when I find myself in the position of visiting someone who is sick is that it is alright to be dependent on the care of others, and that most of us have had situations when we have cared for others and it is natural for us to have a time when we too need to be cared for.  Human life has a natural dynamic of our caring for others and our being cared for by others in our turn.

Another aspect of Pope Benedict's words applies to those who visit the sick. Illness represents a particular moment in which the visitor can "pay attention" to the one who is sick. It is not just a special moment for the one who is sick, but also for the one who visits, particularly for family members or close friends. Sometimes that visiting is difficult - a patient suffering from dementia or who is unable to speak, for example - but it always retains its nature of being a special moment, a moment which I describe with the word "irreplaceable".

Tuttavia, nella malattia, abbiamo tutti bisogno di calore umano: per confortare una persona malata, più che le parole, conta la vicinanza serena e sincera. [Above all, in illness, we all have need of human warmth: to comfort the person who is ill, more than words, what counts is a calm and sincere closeness.]

At the beginning of his message for the forthcoming World Day for the Sick on 11th February, Pope Benedict uses a phrase which puts this question of the value of sickness, or, more precisely, the valuing of the person who is sick, in the context of the culture of life. I would perhaps add that it is also a question of the person who is sick being able to value their own experience of illness, of their being able to welcome their own human life even when it manifests weakness.

 In the generous and loving welcoming of every human life, above all of weak and sick life, a Christian expresses an important aspect of his or her Gospel witness, following the example of Christ, who bent down before the material and spiritual sufferings of man in order to heal them.

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the World Day of the Sick

In Brentwood Diocese, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated with the Liturgical rank of feast. This is because Our Lady of Lourdes is one the patrons of the Diocese.

Paul Zalonski has posted a nice reflection for the feast.

The Lord cares for Man in Every Situation

When Pope Benedict XVI spoke at his Angelus address on 6th February, his remarks made reference to three different contexts. He spoke of the World Day of the Sick, which occurs on Friday, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. He referred to the "Day for Life", that was being marked in Italy on 6th February. And he referred to the presence at the Angelus of delegations taking part in a conference on the topic health assistance during pregnancy, a conference sponsored by the gynaecology and obstetrics departments of the University of Rome.

I invite everyone to contemplate Jesus, the Son of God, who suffered and died but is risen. God is radically opposed to the arrogance of evil. The Lord cares for man in every situation, shares his suffering and opens his heart to hope. Thus I exhort all health workers to see in the sick person not only a body marked by fragility, but first of all a person, to whom complete solidarity must be extended and adequate and competent responses given. In this context I further observe that today is the "Day for Life" in Italy. I hope that everyone will work to make the culture of life grow, to put the value of the human being at the center in every circumstance. According to faith and reason the dignity of the person is irreducible to his faculties or the capacities he can manifest, and so it is not lessened when the person himself is weak, handicapped and in need of help....When scientific and technological research are guided by authentic ethical values it is possible to find adequate solutions for the welcoming of nascent life and the promotion of maternity. It is my wish that the new generations of health workers are the bearers of a renewed culture of life.

H/T to ZENIT.

Evangelical "complicity": the sick person and the priest

The central celebration of the World Day for the Sick on Thursday of this week took place in the Vatican Basilica, and it was a part of a three day meeting of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, a meeting held to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of that Pontifical Council.

ZENIT have posted the text of Pope Benedict XVI's homily at Mass celebrated in the Vatican Basilica. Though I offer below two paragraphs that particularly caught my attention, do follow the link and read the whole homily.

The Gospels, in the synthetic descriptions of the brief but intense public life of Jesus, attest that he proclaimed the Word and healed the sick, sign par excellence of the closeness of the Kingdom of God. For example, Matthew writes: "And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people" (Matthew 4:23; cf 9:35). The Church, which has been entrusted with the task of prolonging the mission of Christ in space and time, cannot neglect these two essential works: evangelization and care of the sick in body and spirit. God, in fact, wishes to heal the whole man, and in the Gospel the healing of the body is a sign of a more profound healing, which is the remission of sins (cf Mark 2:1-12).

I was interested to see, in this opening paragraph of the Pope's homily, a link between the mission to care for the sick and evangelisation. Indeed, one can see the mission to care for the sick as a part of the process of evangelisation, particularly that "first stage" in evangelisation that is "presence in charity" (cf Pope Paul VI's Evangelii Nuntiandi and the Congregation for Clergy's General Directory for Catechesis). Clearly, prosleytism or the explicit seeking of conversion is quite inappropriate during the visiting of the sick, but such visiting can still be seen in a relation to the wider Church's mission of evangelisation.

From this text [the letter of St James], which contains the foundation and practice of the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, is extracted at the same time a vision of the role of the sick in the Church: An active role as it "provokes," so to speak, prayer made with faith. "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church." In this Year for Priests, I wish to stress the bond between the sick and priests, a sort of alliance, of evangelical "complicity". Both have a task: The sick person must "call" the presbyters, and they must respond, to bring upon the experience of sickness the presence and action of the Risen One and of his Spirit. And here we can see all the importance of the pastoral care of the sick, the value of which is truly incalculable, because of the immense good it does in the first place to the sick person and to the priest himself, but also to relatives, to friends, to the community and, through hidden and unknown ways, to the whole Church and to the world. In fact, when the Word of God speaks of healing, of salvation, of the health of the sick, it understands these concepts in an integral sense, never separating soul and body: A sick person cured by Christ's prayer, through the Church, is a joy on earth and in heaven, a first fruit of eternal life.

Implicit in this passage is, I think, a reference to the role of lay people in visiting the sick. The lay person can act as an intermediary, an opportunity for the sick person to invite the priest to visit and confer the sacrament of the sick, in a situation where the priest might not gain an access because of lack of time or because the person who is sick has been away from the Church for some time. The lay visitor can enable the "calling" by the person who is sick. Frank Duff wrote about the role of members of the Legion of Mary as extending the role of the priest, and this idea of the lay person as extending the reach of the priest has an application in the visiting of the sick. The spreading effects of the pastoral care for the sick person described in the penultimate sentence of this paragraph reflect the "presence of charity" element of evangelisation I referred to above.

"My hope .. is that when my moment of weakness comes, I will be able to accept it and rejoice over what is given to me"

The following is among the news items from ZENIT today. It is a report of a conference at UNESCO to be given by Jean Vanier, the founder of L'Arche, on 10th February this year. This is the eve of the World Day for the Sick, on 11th February. Jean Vanier gives a conference each year, organised by the French Christian Office for People with a Disability (OCH).

I was struck by the following, towards the end of ZENIT's short report (the added emphasis is mine):

Vanier himself will turn 82 this year. The Christian Office for People With a Disability asked him to describe his experience of this stage of life.

"My hope and my prayer is that when my moment of weakness comes, I will be able to accept it and rejoice over what is given to me," Vanier said. "Human life begins in frailty and ends in frailty. During our whole life we remain avid for security and dependent on tenderness..."

This reflects something that I find myself saying quite regularly when I meet people who are sick. It's OK to need other people to help you; there will have been times when you have helped someone else, and it's OK now when you, in your turn, need someone else to help you.

Advance notice: World Day for the Sick 11th February 2010

On the Feast of Christ the King, in November 2009, Pope Benedict's message for the 2010 World Day for the Sick was released. The international celebration of the Day is this year taking place at the Vatican Basilica. No particular theme appears to be identified for this year's Day. The Day does coincide with the 25th anniversary of the establishing by Pope John Paul II of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Health Care.

Unfortunately, the Pontifical Council does not have a terribly well organised presence on the World Wide Web. It is not, therefore, a surprise that its work is not well known - even among priests who are hospital chaplains! Summarising the activity of the Council:

1. Organising an annual conference, usually held in Rome and dedicated to a theme within the health care field. This usually takes place in November each year - the 2009 Conference was devoted to the care of those who are deaf. The conferences are multi-disciplinary in their scope - looking at the clinical/medical aspects, ethical and theological aspects, the pastoral aspects and aspects of ecumenical/inter-religious dialogue.

2. The Pontifical Council normally leads in the celebration of the World Day for the Sick.

3. The Pontifical Council publishes a journal, Dolentium Hominum, in French, English and Spanish. The journal publishes the papers from the annual conference, and from other occasional events.

11th February: Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and World Day for the Sick

The World Day for the Sick is celebrated tomorrow. This year, its theme is particularly that of sick children. This reflects the subject of the conference held (in November 2008, I think) by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Health Care.

I have finally found an English translation of Pope Benedict XVI's message for this day. It can be found here. Here is an extract:

This year we direct our attention particularly to children, the weakest and most defenceless creatures, and, amongst them, to the sick and suffering children. There are little human beings who carry in their bodies the consequences of illnesses which have made them invalids and others who fight against diseases that are now incurable despite the progress of medicine and the care of qualified researchers and health-care professionals. There are children wounded in their bodies and souls as a consequence of conflicts and wars, and other innocent victims of the hatred of senseless adults. There are ‘street’ children, deprived of the warmth of a family and abandoned to themselves, and minors profaned by abject people who violate their innocence, provoking in them a psychological wound that will mark them for the rest of their lives. And we cannot forget the incalculable number of young people who die because of thirst, hunger, lack of health care, and the little exiles and refugees from their own lands, with their parents, who are in search of better conditions of life. From all these children arises a silent cry of pain that calls on our conscience as men and believers.

World Day for the Sick: Chiara Luce Badano

I am posting the following testimony with an eye to the World Day for the Sick on 11th February. Chiara Badano was a teenager active in the Focolare movement in her home town, near Turin. Some of the dialogue in this testimony reflects the spirituality of the Focolare.

One of the customs in the Focolare is that, when a person makes a commitment in the movement, they receive a new name from the President of the movement (Chiara Lubich), the name being chosen to reflect the particular character or charism of the individual concerned. During her illness, Chiara Badano was given the name "Luce"("light"). This was because of the reputation of her smile, which seemed to be maintained throughout her illness.

Chiara died of a particularly painful form of cancer in 1990, aged just eighteen. Two days before Christmas, Chiara was taken into hospital for an emergency blood transfusion. This is how her mother tells the story of Chiara’s last Christmas.

“She had prepared presents for the family and her friends. But the white blood cell count fell rapidly and her fever returned. On the telephone, her doctor asked questions urgently, and wanted to know how long it would take to reach the hospital in Turin. The ambulance was there, but Chiara did not want to go: ‘I do not want to spend Christmas in hospital,’ she said; ‘If I am going to die, Jesus, I want it to be at home’.

“I whispered in her ear that it was the will of God to go to the hospital. She accepted, but did not say one word during the journey, she suffered terribly. At the door of the hospital the doctors…were already waiting for the blood transfusion.

“The following day, Christmas eve, I said to her when I came in to her room: ‘Here is every one with Christmas presents in their arms, but no-one looks you in the eye, no-one says good morning. Jesus is very near and no-one sees him.’ After she had overcome a moment of difficulty, I continued: ‘Let us light the fire of Jesus among us, which warms the whole world. You must light it because my heart is giving little heat.’ She replied: ‘Let us do it together, mother’.

“That afternoon, the Archbishop of Turin visited the hospital. He noticed the look on Chiara’s face. He came in to her room and asked her: ‘You have a wonderful light in
your eyes. How do you do it?’ After a moment of shyness, she replied: ‘I try to love Jesus’.

“The same day, one of the hospital volunteers was suffering a crisis of faith from seeing so many children in the hospital dying of cancer. While I went down to the bar for a drink, she sat with Chiara. I do not know what they said to each other, but this lady affirmed, having recovered all her courage, that this Christmas was the most
beautiful of her life. For us, too, it was the same thing.”

[my own translation, from Michel Zanzucchi Un sourire de paradis p.56-58.]

World Day for the Sick: 11th February 2008

The theme for this year's World Day for the Sick is "The Eucharist, Lourdes and Care for the Sick". It therefore links two of the big international Catholic celebrations taking place in 2008 - the 150th anniversary year of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes and the International Eucharistic Congress taking place in Quebec, Canada in June. Pope Benedict XVIs message for the day can be found at the Vatican website. Another worthwhile read is the recent post of Catholic mom of 10 about her own illness.

The Vatican has its own "think tank" on matters relating to the world of healthcare. It is called the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Health (or variations upon, depending on how you translate from Italian into English!). The Council organises an annual conference on an issue related to healthcare and also leads on the World Day for the Sick. They publish an academic journal "Dolentium Hominum", which is published in several languages one of which is English. The conference ususally examines an issue very thoroughly, looking at clinical and epidemiological aspects, theological and spiritual aspects, practical and pastoral aspects, and the perspectives of other Christian denominations and religious faiths. The internet presence of the Pontifical Council is not as well organised as it might be. I know that the library of the Linacre Centre in London, UK, have a complete set of "Dolentium Hominum". We might keep the work of the Pontifical Council, and of all those involved in pastoral work with the sick and medical staff, in our prayers on 11th February.