Pope Francis came to Vatican’s Paul VI Hall on Thursday, on a wheelchair, the first time he has done so publicly since leaving the hospital after colon surgery in July 2021.

The 85-year-old Holy Father has had difficulty walking due to a painful torn ligament in his knee.

He was pushed in a wheelchair onto the stage at the start of a meeting with participants in the plenary meeting of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG).

In an address to the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), Pope Francis invites women religious to reflect on St Peter and Mary Magdalene in order to put themselves at the service of others and encourages them to make their own synodal journey.

The Pope told the women religious that contemplating this scene “leads us to recognise both Peter's vulnerability and the vulnerability that Jesus assumes in order to go out to meet him.”

“Peter finds it difficult to accept that he needs a change in his mentality, a change of heart, that he must allow himself to have his feet washed in order to be able to wash the feet of his brothers and sisters,” he said.

Together with Peter, the Pope underlined, “the Church learns from her Master that, in order to be able to give her life in service to others, she is invited to recognise and accept her own fragility and, from there, to bow down to the fragility of others.”

Pope Francis apologized for being unable to stand, and walk to greet participants, during his recent public appearances. He has also needed assistance when standing up from his chair after the May 4 general audience.

During an April 2-3 visit to Malta, extra measures were taken to ensure that the pope would not have to take stairs, due to his knee problem.

In the course of his hospital stay after colon surgery last year, Pope Francis greeted medical staff from a wheelchair.
-CNA/VM