Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has called on those burdened by illness and suffering to unite their pain with prayer, trusting that genuine and lasting peace is found only in the boundless charity of God. In a message sent to Cardinal Michael Czerny, his special envoy for the 34th World Day of the Sick, the Pope invited the sick to offer their hardships to the Lord for the sake of peace in the world and to become living witnesses of faith, hope and love, together with all who care for them.
In his letter, the Pope expressed spiritual closeness to all who endure sickness, disease and pain, assuring them of the prayerful support of the entire Church. Entrusting them to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, he prayed that they may present their daily trials to God with generosity, asking that these offerings contribute to peace across the world. Quoting Saint Augustine’s Confessions, Pope Leo XIV recalled that the human heart remains restless until it rests in God, finding authentic peace only in His infinite love, lived out in everyday and spiritual life.
The message was addressed to Cardinal Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, who represented the Pope at the World Day of the Sick celebrations held on 11 February at the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace in Chiclayo, Peru.
Dated 21 January, the letter asked the Cardinal to convey to all those gathered especially on the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes the strength and reassurance that flow from the Gospel. The Pope highlighted the comfort that comes from communion with Christ, who promised to remain with His people in every circumstance until the end of time. He encouraged the sick and their caregivers alike to give heartfelt witness to the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity, and to practice genuine human and Christian closeness by sharing one another’s burdens in accordance with the law of Christ.
Pope Leo XIV also recalled, with deep affection, the “beloved land of Peru” and the Diocese of Chiclayo, noting that it was there, twelve years ago, that Fr. Robert Francis Prevost was ordained a bishop in the cathedral dedicated to Saint Mary, Mother of God.
Concluding his message, the Pope underlined that it was Pope Francis’ wish, guided by divine providence, that the 34th World Day of the Sick be celebrated in Peru as a powerful sign of the Virgin Mary’s maternal care for all who suffer from illness and hardship. This decision, Pope Leo XIV affirmed, he wholeheartedly endorsed, recalling that he himself had often prayed at the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace in Chiclayo, seeking God’s help and consolation.