Angelus: Pope calls for health systems that prioritize the poorest

By Jean-Benoît Harel

Pope Francis’ Angelus message for this 5th Sunday in Lent was published by the Holy See press office.

In the text, the pope focuses on the “finger of God”, with which Jesus writes in the sand of today’s Gospel. Jesus writes “a new story” for the woman that the scribes and the Pharisees want to put to death, underlines the Holy Father.

The “finger of God”

Pope Francis says that throughout his hospitalization and the last 15 days of convalescence in the Vatican, he perceived “this finger of God” and his “benevolent caress”.

“On this day of the jubilee of patients and health workers, I ask the Lord that this caress of his love reaches those who suffer and encourage those who care about them,” writes the pope.

Concerned about the working conditions of doctors, nurses and health staff, as well as assaults to which they are sometimes subject, the Pope says that their mission “is not easy and must be supported and respected”.

In addition, he calls on world leaders to invest in medical treatment and research, “so that health systems can be inclusive and attentive to the poorest and most fragile”.

World peace

As usual, the Pope asked the faithful to pray for peace in the world, in particular “tormented Ukraine, struck by attacks which claimed many civilian victims, including many children”.

This call comes two days after the Holy See Secretary of Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, spoke by telephone with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergei Lavrov.

The pope then turned his thoughts to Gaza, “where people are reduced to living in unimaginable conditions, homeless, without food, without drinking water”, calling for the resumption of dialogue, the release of hostages and “weapons to silence”.

“Let us pray for peace in the Middle East, Sudan and South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in Burma, hard hit by an earthquake,” he continued. The pope also paid tribute to the two nuns killed in Haiti, denouncing violence “which rages” in the country.

In addition, on this World Sport Day for Peace and Development, the Pope has expressed hope that “sport will be a sign of hope for so many people who need peace and social inclusion”. Finally, he thanked the prison of Rebibbia’s prison for the card he had received from them.