Vatican City - Pope Francis has released his prayer intention for July, inviting Christians to pray that the Church might demonstrate God's closeness to those enduring illness. "Let us pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick grants the Lord’s strength to those who receive it and to their loved ones, and that it may become for everyone an ever more visible sign of compassion and hope."

The Holy Father extended this invitation to Christians worldwide through The Pope Video, which accompanies his monthly prayer intention.

This July 2024, Pope Francis urges the Church to focus on praying for the pastoral care of the sick.

In the video, he emphasized that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is not reserved solely for those near death.

The Holy Father noted that if someone thinks a priest administering the sacrament signals imminent death, they have adopted a hopeless perspective.

“Let us remember that the Anointing of the Sick is one of the ‘sacraments of healing,’ of ‘restoration,’ that heals the spirit,” Pope Francis stated.

He further explained that the sacrament is always available to those who are ill, especially the elderly.

“When a person is very ill,” he mentioned, “it’s advisable to give them the Anointing of the Sick.”

Pope Francis concluded by praying that the sacrament might become a more visible sign of compassion and hope.

A press release accompanying The Pope Video, produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, noted that the video was created with assistance from the US dioceses of Allentown and Los Angeles.

The video provides a visual context for situations where the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may be administered.

It intertwines two stories of illness—differing in age and clinical situation—to illustrate how God's love is expressed through the sacrament.

Fr. Frédéric Fornos, SJ, International Director of the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, stated that Pope Francis encourages Catholics to reassess their preconceptions about the sacrament.

“Pope Francis hopes we can rediscover the complete depth and the true meaning of this Sacrament,” he said, “not only as a preparation for death, but also as a sacrament that offers consolation to the sick in times of serious illness, and strength to their loved ones and those caring for them.”