Cardinal Koch: 'Suffering of illness' a great challenge for aging Pope Francis
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Hundreds of people gather to pray the rosary for Pope Francis' health on Thursday, March 6, 2025, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNAVatican City, Mar 12, 2025 / 13:20 pm (CNA).Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, reflected Tuesday on the great challenge of illness and suffering for Pope Francis as he approaches a month's hospital stay amid a series of health crises.Before leading Tuesday evening's recitation of rosary, held inside the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall, Koch drew parallels in the lives of Pope Francis and St. Peter."Truly, truly, I say to you when you were young, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go," Koch said, citing Jn 21:18. Commenting on the Gospel account when the resurrected Jesus asked Peter, the first pope, to follow him until ...
Hundreds of people gather to pray the rosary for Pope Francis' health on Thursday, March 6, 2025, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
Vatican City, Mar 12, 2025 / 13:20 pm (CNA).
Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, reflected Tuesday on the great challenge of illness and suffering for Pope Francis as he approaches a month's hospital stay amid a series of health crises.
Before leading Tuesday evening's recitation of rosary, held inside the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall, Koch drew parallels in the lives of Pope Francis and St. Peter.
"Truly, truly, I say to you when you were young, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go," Koch said, citing Jn 21:18.
Commenting on the Gospel account when the resurrected Jesus asked Peter, the first pope, to follow him until the end, Koch asked: "How can we not recognize in these words, [is] in fact, what our Holy Father — the successor of Peter — is also experiencing and struggling with?"
"Of course the situations are different, but also the suffering of a serious illness is a great challenge," he said, before starting Tuesday's contemplation of the Rosary's sorrowful mysteries.
Since Feb. 24, a cardinal has presided over the daily recitation of the Rosary for the pope's health. Hundreds of local Catholic faithful and jubilee pilgrims from around the world have come to St. Peter's Square to join the evening prayers open to the public.
"We ask for the intercession of Mary, the mother of hope, for the health of Pope Francis," Koch prayed.
The 88-year-old pontiff has undergone various medical therapies to treat bronchitis, bilateral pneumonia, as well as mild kidney problems, since being admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital almost one month ago on Feb. 14.
Over the weeks, several Catholic faithful from Rome and abroad have also gathered outside Gemelli Hospital to pray for the Holy Father and have left behind written notes with well wishes, candles, and flowers before the St. John Paul II statue outside the facility.
Wednesday evening's Rosary at the Vatican was held at 6 p.m. local time and led by Cardinal ??George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.
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null / Credit: HQuality/ShutterstockACI Prensa Staff, Mar 20, 2025 / 14:35 pm (CNA)."Assisted suicide is a false charity" with alarming consequences that must be rejected, said Bishop David Malloy of Rockford, Illinois, in a pastoral letter in response to the possibility that the Illinois General Assembly could approve the practice.The prelate referred to a Senate bill and a House bill that would legalize assisted suicide for people with terminal illnesses.In his March 12 letter Malloy noted that proponents of both bills claim they will "end suffering at the end of life."However, he warned that "although well-intentioned, assisted suicide is a false charity that brings with it many alarming consequences that, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to reject."The prelate encouraged the faithful not only to pray and fast to stop both bills but also to write or call their state elected officials and encourage them to vote no on the legislation. Malloy referred them to the Ill...
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Left: Banners at Rome's Gemelli University Hospital. Right: Pope Francis waves from a wheelchair, Feb. 13, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNAVatican City, Mar 20, 2025 / 07:52 am (CNA).Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis. Follow here for the latest news on his health and hospitalization:
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The 2023 Plenary Assembly of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) being held Sept 25-28 outside of Toronto. / Credit: CCCB/CECCToronto, Canada, Mar 20, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).Canada's Finance Department has avoided providing a clear answer to a written appeal from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) urging the federal government not to adopt budget recommendations that would strip charitable status from "anti-abortion" and "advancement of religion" nonprofit organizations.A statement provided to The Catholic Register in Canada on March 13 by the department's media relations officer, Marie-France Faucher, did not reference the CCCB or its specific concerns surrounding recommendations 429 and 430 of the pre-budget consultations in advance of the 2025 budget.In her email response, Faucher said "the government of Canada recognizes the vital role charities play in delivering essential services to those in need" and provided general information about how a...
