PRESS RELEASE
St Francis Leprosy Guild mourns the passing of its patron's namesake
His Holiness, Pope Francis
His Holiness, Pope Francis
x February 2025, London, UK: St Francis Leprosy Guild, along with its supporters, mourns the death of His Holiness, Pope Francis. "May He rest in peace and rise in glory."
His Holiness, Pope Francis
At the International Symposium on leprosy, "Leave No One Behind" at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute, on 23/24 January 2023, His Holiness, Pope Francis blessed the work of St Francis Leprosy Guild.
The Symposium commenced with a powerful message from His Holiness, read out by Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, (Dicastery from Promoting Integral Human Development, Holy See.)
Never forget our brothers and sisters with Hansen's Disease. I hope that this conference will help gather voices from around the world and discuss measures that can be taken to further promote respect for human dignity. His Holiness,Pope Francis (full message)
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Sister Smerilli cautioned governments that leprosy stigma leads to serious violations and urged us all to be good Samaritans, reaching out to the marginalised and abandoned in society and Leaving No One Behind.
She urged delegates to renew their commitment to people affected by leprosy so that they may live as fully fledged members of society. She blessed all those affected and working in leprosy.
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Sr Alessandra Smerilli FMA
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In his sermon at the canonisation of Santa Maria Antonia de San Jose in February 2024, His Holiness reflected on the Gospel, which described Jesus healing a person with leprosy (Mark 1:40-45). The man not only suffered from leprosy, but above all, from being marginalised. His Holiness said:
Fear, prejudice and false religiosity: these are three causes of a great injustice, three 'leprosy infections of the soul' that make the weak suffer because they are treated like rubbish. Brothers and sisters, let us not think that this only happened in the past. How many suffering people we encounter on the pavements of our cities! And how many fears, prejudices and incongruous behaviours, even on the part of those who believe and call themselves Christians, continue to hurt them! Even in our time, there is much marginalisation, there are barriers that need to be broken down, there are 'leprosy infections' that need healing. And how does such healing take place? Not by keeping our distance."
His Holiness pointed out that Jesus made the first move and touched the sick man, although he knew he was violating the ideas of purity at that time.
Link to official text of His Holiness' address
Link to official text of His Holiness' address
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Father in heaven, May the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your kingdom. His Holiness, Pope Francis
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