Vatican City, Mar 30, 2018 / 09:28 am (CNA/EWTN News).- During a customary visit to a prison on Holy Thursday, Pope Francis revealed that he has cataracts and is planning to have an eye operation to correct them next year.
The head of Regina Coeli prison in Rome made a comment during the visit about the importance of being “far-sighted” about prisoners’ rehabilitation.
Pope Francis responded, “This is good. Because at my age, for example, cataracts arrive and one does not see reality well. Next year, we will have to have an operation.”
He encouraged the inmates to have clear eyes – what he called “cataract surgery for the soul” – in order to see and spread hope.
Cataracts, a clouding of the eye’s lens that is common as people age, is usually correctable with a routine surgery.
The pope, who turned 81 in December, maintains a rigorous schedule and still makes several international trips per year. He had a portion of one lung removed when he was young, due to an infection, but is considered to be in generally good health.
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Pope Francis presides over First Vespers for the World Day for Consecrated Life in St. Peter’s Basilica, surrounded by bishops, priests, and religious men and women. Vatican City, Feb. 1, 2024. / Credit: Anhelina Martsisheuskaya/CNA
CNA Newsroom, Feb 1, 2025 / 17:00 pm (CNA).
Pope Francis urged consecrated men and women to become “bearers of light” in today’s world through their faithful witness of the evangelical counsels as he celebrated First Vespers for the World Day for Consecrated Life in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Speaking to thousands of religious on Saturday evening, the pope outlined how poverty, chastity, and obedience can transform society through God’s love, drawing from the biblical theme “See… I have come to do your will, O God” (Heb 10:7).
Religious sisters attend the celebration of First Vespers on the eve of the World Day for Consecrated Life at St. Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City, Feb. 1, 2024. Credit: Anhelina Martsisheuskaya/CNA
The World Day for Consecrated Life, celebrated annually on Feb. 2, takes on special significance this year as the Church prepares for the Jubilee of Consecrated Life scheduled for October 2025. The celebration coincides with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and is marked by the symbolism of light.
In his homily, the pope emphasized how evangelical poverty liberates religious from worldly attachments, enabling them to become “a blessing for others” by embracing “simplicity, generosity, sharing and solidarity.” He warned against the dangers of “selfishness, greed, dependence, and violent use” of material goods.
Pope Francis presides over First Vespers for the World Day for Consecrated Life flanked by monsignors at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Feb. 1, 2024. Credit: Anhelina Martsisheuskaya/CNA
“What a balm it is for the soul to encounter religious women and men capable of a mature and joyful relationality of this kind!” Francis said during the evening prayer service. He compared consecrated persons to a “Bride before her Spouse… surrounded by his light.”
The Holy Father noted that consecrated chastity, rooted in the Trinity, offers a powerful witness in a world often marked by “superficial relationships and selfish affectivity.” Religious communities must provide ongoing formation to help members fully live this gift without “unhealthy expressions of dissatisfaction,” he added.
Consecrated men and women capture moments from Pope Francis’ passage through St. Peter’s Basilica during the celebration of First Vespers. Vatican City, Feb. 1, 2024. Credit: Anhelina Martsisheuskaya/CNA
Regarding obedience, Francis highlighted its role as an “antidote to isolated individualism” in an age dominated by ceaseless words and images but little listening. This counsel fosters “active listening” and helps people discover their purpose in “God’s greater plan,” he said, particularly in families, workplaces, and social networks.
The pope concluded by calling consecrated men and women to return to the origins of their vocation through renewed Eucharistic adoration. “We are too practical, we want to do things, but…adore,” he urged. “There must be the capacity for adoration in silence.”
Catholics worldwide are invited to pray Sunday for vocations to consecrated life.
A member of the Pontifical Swiss Guard stands at attention during the First Vespers celebration at St. Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City, Feb. 1, 2024. Credit: Anhelina Martsisheuskaya/CNA
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