Pope visits pediatric hospital in Mexico City
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis
on Sunday visited the “Federico Gómez” Pediatric Hospital in Mexico City.
He told the children " I ask God to bless you, and to accompany you
and your families, and all those people who work in this home and try to
ensure that your smiles grow day by day." The hospital was inaugurated in
1943 and it was visited by Pope St John Paul II on his journey to Mexico in
1979.
Below is an English
translation of the Pope's words
Greeting of Pope Francis
Visit to the “Federico Gómez”
Pediatric Hospital
Sunday 14 February 2016
Mr President,
Madam First Lady,
Madam Secretary for Health,
Director,
Members of the Board of Governors,
Families here present,
Dear Children,
Friends one and all,
Good afternoon. I thank
God for granting me this opportunity to come and visit you, to join you and
your families in this hospital. To share a little of your life and of
those who work here: the doctors, nurses, personnel, and volunteers who help.
Thank you.
There is a very brief passage
in the Gospel which tells us something of Jesus’ childhood. He was very
small, just like some of you. One day, his parents, Joseph and Mary, took
him up to the Temple to present him to God. And while there they met an
old man called Simeon who, upon seeing Jesus, was very moved and filled with
joy and gratitude. He took Jesus in his arms and held him close, and
began to bless the Lord. Looking at Jesus inspired him in two ways: the
feeling of gratitude and the desire to bless.
Simeon is “the uncle” who
teaches us these two attitudes: gratitude and then blessing.
For my part (and not only
because of my age), I feel I can relate well with these two lessons of
Simeon. On the one hand, entering here and seeing your eyes, your smiles,
your faces, has filled me with a desire to give thanks. Thank you for the
kind way that you welcomed me, thank you for recognizing the tenderness with
which you are cared for and accompanied. Thank you for the efforts of
many who are doing their best so that you can get better quickly.
It is very important that we
feel cared for and accompanied, to feel loved and to know that all these
workers here are looking for the best way to care for us. To each of
these people, I say, “Thank you”.
And at the same time, I wish
to bless you. I ask God to bless you, and to accompany you and your
families, and all those people who work in this home and try to ensure
that your smiles grow day by day. May God bless each person… not only doctors
but also those who provide “kindness-therapy” thus making the time spent here
more enjoyable.
Have you ever heard of the
Indian Juan Diego? When his uncle was sick, he was quite worried and
distressed. Then, the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to him and said, “Let
not your heart be disturbed or upset by anything. Am I not here with you,
I who am your mother?”
We have Mary as our Mother,
and so let us ask her to give us the gift of her son, Jesus. Let us close
our eyes and ask her to give us what our hearts seek today, and then let us
pray together,
Hail Mary…
May the Lord and the Blessed
Virgin of Guadalupe remain with you always. Thank you very much.
And please, do not forget to pray for me.
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