Free medical care for the vulnerable under the colonnade of St Peter's Square

By Benedetta Capelli

"To the poor who live in our cities and are part of our communities, I say: God watches over each of you and is close to you." Pope Francis’s words for the 8th World Day of the Poor on Sunday, the 17th of November, capture the spirit and motivation behind the initiatives organized by the Dicastery for the Service of Charity. As Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner, has often emphasized, this dicastery acts as the "emergency room" for the needs of the most vulnerable.

The week of charity

Initiatives have increased as we approach the Day of the Poor. The “Mother of Mercy” Clinic, which was established in 2015 under the collonade in St. Peter's square, begins a week of intensive service on the 11th of November. It will be open from 8am to 5pm, offering medical care to those in need. The clinic is staffed by 46 doctors, 8 nurses, and 10 volunteers, covering two shifts each day. Every day it will provide general and specialised medical visits, flu vaccines, blood tests, swabs, dressings, and medication for those without healthcare or documents. No ID is required, as the aim is to focus on helping brothers and sisters in need.

Specialist visits for those in need

The clinic offers specialised visits without appointments, thanks to the presence of doctors from 18 different fields, including cardiology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, general surgery, rheumatology, dermatology, dentistry, gynecology, pulmonology, ENT, oncology, ultrasound, urology, psychiatry, neurology, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, nephrology, and podiatry. A schedule has been shared with numerous parishes in the Diocese of Rome to inform and encourage those in need to take advantage of this opportunity.

Praying with God’s chosen ones

“The prayer of the poor rises to God” (Sirach 21:5) is the theme of the World Day of the Poor. In his message, Pope Francis writes that this prayer should be "read on the faces and in the stories of the poor we encounter daily, so that prayer becomes a way of communion with them and sharing in their suffering." In his encyclical on the human and divine love of the Heart of Jesus Christ, Dilexit nos, Pope Francis writes that such sharing is only possible when the heart is touched by humility and grows "in fraternity and solidarity."

The encyclical reads, "those who do not cry grow numb inside, but those who reach a simpler, more intimate prayer, full of adoration and compassion before God, mature spiritually. They are less attached to themselves and more to Christ, becoming poor in spirit. In this way, they feel closer to the poor, God’s chosen ones.”