Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has established a new commission to guide and relaunch the House for the Relief of Suffering Foundation, the well known healthcare institution founded by Saint Pio of Pietrelcina in the Italian town of San Giovanni Rotondo.
The Vatican announced that the Pope signed a chirograph creating a Commission for Direction and Oversight of the Foundation. The new body has been given the responsibility of studying the present condition of the institution and finding ways to strengthen its efficiency, effectiveness and long term sustainability.
The House for the Relief of Suffering, known in Italian as Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, was founded by Padre Pio as a place where the sick, pilgrims and their families could receive care and support inspired by Christian compassion and charity. Over the years, it has become one of Italy’s major healthcare centres and a symbol of the saint’s deep concern for human suffering.
According to the Vatican, the Pope’s decision comes from the Church’s continued concern for charitable works and from the understanding that large institutions must adapt to changing times in order to remain faithful to their original mission.
The chirograph noted that developments in technology, law, economics and healthcare have created new challenges for Church institutions. It said the healthcare sector especially requires vision, careful management and responsible investment to continue serving people effectively.
The new steering commission will be led by Maximino Caballero Ledo, Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, while Fabio Gasperini, Secretary of APSA, will coordinate its work.
Other members include Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, Substitute of the Secretariat of State, Archbishop Giordano Piccinotti, President of APSA, and Archbishop Giorgio Ferretti of Foggia Bovino.
The Pope also appointed Dr Benjamín Estévez de Cominges, Dr Gino Gumirato and Attorney Alessandro Ela Oyana to a technical committee that will support the commission’s activities.
The Vatican said the commission will have authority to work on economic, patrimonial and operational matters linked to the foundation. It will also have the ability to carry out ordinary and extraordinary administrative actions when necessary.
However, matters of special importance, particularly decisions affecting the foundation’s assets or changes to its statutes, must be reported directly to Pope Leo XIV before any final action is taken.
The House for the Relief of Suffering was one of Padre Pio’s most cherished works. The saint believed that caring for the sick was an essential part of the Christian mission and that no person should be left without help, dignity or hope during moments of suffering.
Even decades after its founding, the institution continues to welcome thousands of patients and pilgrims every year. The Vatican described the Pope’s decision as a sign of care and responsibility aimed at protecting the mission and future of the foundation.
The relaunch initiative is being seen as an effort to preserve the spirit of Saint Pio’s vision while ensuring that the institution remains strong and capable of responding to modern healthcare challenges in the years ahead.