In his intentions for the month of July, Pope Francis prays for the pastoral care of the sick. As part of this, he reiterates the availability of the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, saying it is not just for those “at the point of death.”
The Pope challenges the mentality that this sacrament is to help the dying say goodbye to life. Rather he invites people to see it as “one of the 'sacraments of healing and restoration.'”
This month, the papal intentions are a reminder that caring for the sick means offering Anointing of the Sick both to those who are ill and the elderly. And Pope Francis offers his prayers that this sacrament will become a “visible sign of compassion and hope.”
KG
