The Pope told an assembly of ALS patients that with commitment, faith, and courage, the sick \u201cbear witness that the goodness and value of life are greater than illness.\u201d<\/p>\n
In recognizing the work of the Italian Association for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (AISLA, by its Italian acronym), Pope Leo affirmed that \u201cin the various situations of life \u2014 especially the difficult ones \u2014 no one should be left alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
His words were delivered during an audience with members of the association, which took place Saturday at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.<\/p>\n
The Holy Father stated that the work of AISLA \u201cunites people experiencing an illness\u2014along with their family members and caregivers\u2014in a therapeutic alliance of great closeness and proximity that faithfully reflects the manner in which Jesus himself approached those who suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease, affects nerve cells in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord that control the movement of voluntary muscles. The disease causes motor nerve cells to deteriorate or die, rendering them unable to send messages to the muscles.<\/p>\n
Over time, this leads to muscle weakness, spasms, and an inability to move the arms, legs, and body. The condition continues to worsen, and when the muscles in the chest area cease to function, breathing becomes difficult or impossible.<\/p>\n
The Pope expressed that patients \u2014 with commitment, faith, and courage \u2014 \u201cbear witness that the goodness and value of life are greater than illness,\u201d and that the challenges it presents \u201ccan be faced together, transforming them into special and privileged opportunities to give and receive love.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for this! As prophets, you teach everyone the true value of life \u2014 and our world desperately needs this message!\u201d Pope Leo said.<\/p>\n
He strongly emphasized the closeness of the association\u2019s members to the sick \u2014 something he considers \u201cvery important,\u201d as healthcare requires presence \u201cfor the well-being of the person in their various dimensions: biological, psychological, and spiritual.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Church deeply senses the value of this \u2018closeness\u2019: standing alongside people \u2014 wherever they are, in their homes \u2014 to offer support, not only in terms of care but also in terms of spirituality, paying special attention to the questions regarding the meaning of suffering \u2014 questions that cannot be left unanswered,\u201d he underscored.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the various situations of life \u2014 especially the difficult ones \u2014 no one should be left alone; and volunteering, which unites people through generosity, powerfully embodies this value by fostering solidarity and respect, and by responding with gestures of care to the culture of waste and death,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Finally, he invited them to reflect upon the Passion of Jesus, who chose to experience it \u201cas a time of trial, of physical pain and spiritual suffering,\u201d standing in solidarity with humanity to the very end and demonstrating to them \u201cthat pain and suffering cannot halt love nor nullify the power of God.\u201d<\/p>\n
Augustiner Brewery delivers beer<\/p>\n
On May 9, Pope Leo also received pilgrims from the Edith Haberland-Wagner Foundation and the Augustiner Brewery, who presented him with beer as a gift. This gesture allowed the Pontiff to offer two points for reflection.<\/p>\n
Pope Leo XIV with pilgrims from the Edith Haberland-Wagner Foundation and the Augustiner Brewery, who presented him with beer as a gift. | Credit: Vatican Media<\/p>\n
First, he highlighted the pilgrims’ connection to the Augustinian Order, to which he himself belongs. In this regard, he recalled the impact of Saint Augustine on his own life \u2014 a figure who \u201creminds us that we all possess gifts and talents bestowed upon us by God, and that our purpose, fulfillment, and joy derive from offering them in loving service to God and to our neighbor.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Augustiner Brewery is the oldest brewery in Munich and the last to remain privately owned. Its history dates back to 1328.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope, therefore, that your pilgrimage not only strengthens you in faith but also inspires you to continue serving your brothers and sisters, especially those most in need,\u201d he affirmed.<\/p>\n
Then, recalling Pope Francis\u2019s encyclical Laudato Si\u2019, the Holy Father stated that man is called not only to care for creation, but also to \u201censure that its resources are always used with wisdom and with a view to justice \u2014 an indispensable prerequisite for peace.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTherefore, upon returning home, I encourage you to continue contributing to the promotion of a just and effective approach to the care of creation, both in the professional and personal spheres, for the common good,\u201d he concluded, imparting his blessing upon all present.<\/p>\n
This article was originally published by EWTN News English.<\/p>\n