Office for Social Ministry
“Dear brothers and sisters: We are celebrating the 33rd World Day of the Sick in the Jubilee Year 2025, in which the church invites us to become ‘pilgrims of hope.’ ‘Hope does not disappoint’ (Rom 5:5); indeed, it strengthens us in times of trial. … Let us stop for a moment to reflect on how God remains close to those who are suffering in three particular ways: through encounter, gift and sharing.” (Pope Francis’ Jubilee message for World Day of the Sick, Feb. 11)
Even in the most challenging moments of sickness and suffering, Pope Francis encourages us to find a deeper promise — a promise of hope and healing. While it may feel overwhelming, he calls us to seek a presence greater than ourselves, a higher power found in God and the gift of his spirit.
Illness, as Pope Francis explains, is not only a way to encounter our frailty but also an opportunity to experience the closeness and compassion of God: “God does not abandon us and often amazes us by granting us a strength that we never expected and would never have found on our own.”
Suffering can often be a hidden gift. It gives us moments of stillness to hear God’s voice and allows us to see the risen Lord walking beside us as our companion, illuminating our path. It also creates space for honest and meaningful sharing.
Pope Francis writes: “How often, at the bedside of the sick, do we learn to hope! How often, by our closeness to those who suffer, do we learn to have faith! How often, when we care for those in need, do we discover love!”
The pope reminds us to treasure the beauty of these grace-filled moments — the smile of a caregiver, the gratitude of a patient or the loving gaze of a family member. These small rays of light, even in the darkest times, give us strength and reveal the true meaning of life, love and connection.
This year’s message deeply resonates with the legacy of St. Marianne Cope, a trailblazer in health care who cared for society’s outcasts with unwavering compassion.
As an empowering missionary woman, St. Marianne devoted her life to patients with leprosy (Hansen’s disease) in Kakaako and Kalaupapa, serving with grace and humility until her passing at the age of 80. Alongside the Sisters of St. Francis, she laid the foundation for modern caregiving systems that continue to uplift kupuna and their families today.
Programs such as Franciscan Vistas in Ewa Beach and Hale O Meleana in Liliha reflect her enduring vision by providing independent living, intergenerational learning, hospice care and caregiver education. In addition, St. Francis Healthcare extends compassionate care to kupuna in their final days through inpatient and at-home hospice services.
Its Caregiver Education and Wellness Program offers emotional support, practical training and bereavement services, embodying the spirit of St. Marianne’s caring compassion. Her mission of love and service continues to inspire and transform lives across generations.
For more information, visit www.stfrancishawaii.org.
Another example of the spirit of encounter, gift and sharing that Pope Francis speaks about in his message for the World Day of the Sick comes to life through Holy Trinity Parish’s cancer support group. These semi-monthly gatherings are sacred spaces where participants talk story, offering pain, joy, empathy and even laughter.
“Sharing our friendship and faith is powerful,” reflects Ann Jones, a long-time parishioner and member of the group since its inception.
Open to patients, survivors and caregivers, the group meets every second and fourth Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the Holy Trinity Parish office in East Honolulu.
Other inspiring examples include Hope Services Hawaii’s street medicine outreach teams assisting homeless or houseless persons on Hawaii Island, Catholic Charities Hawaii’s kupuna services and many parish ministries with homebound persons in their communities.
Pope Francis calls this spirit “a hymn to human dignity, a song of hope,” inviting us all to join this chorus. For the full text of the pope’s message to the World Day of the Sick, please visit www.humandevelopment.va.
As we honor the World Day of the Sick — which fell on Feb. 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes — let us ask for Mother Mary’s healing blessing and draw inspiration from St. Marianne’s legacy to live this special Jubilee Year theme by “bringing light, hope and love to the places they are needed most.”
Mahalo,
Your friends in the Office for Social Ministry
