Pope to Polish children with cancer: God loves you and is by your side

By Lisa Zengarini

“Jesus is always beside us to give us hope. Always, even in moments of illness, even in the most painful moments, even in the most difficult moments: the Lord is there!” Pope Francis gave these words of encouragement and support to a group of 53 Polish children fighting cancer from Wroclaw Oncologic Hospital as he received them in audience on Monday.

Jesus loves you and needs your testimony

Welcoming them in the Paul VI meeting room, the Pope acknowledged the difficulties of living with and overcoming illness. “How many times in life do we find ourselves in the situation of not having the strength to carry on. But”, he said, “ Jesus is always nearby, and he tells you: ‘Go, go forward! I am with you’”.

Pope Francis further encouraged them to be apostles of God's love in the Church and in the world. “Jesus also needs you for this testimony”, he said.

Concluding, the Pope reminded them that when we find ourselves alone and feel abandoned, Mary is always close to us, especially when we carry the weight of disease with all its problems. “Mary is always there, next to us, with her maternal tenderness”, he said.