By Vatican News
“Let us remain in prayer with Mary Mother of the Church for the health of the Holy Father Francis,” said Cardinal Robert Prevost, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, as he led the Rosary for Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square on Monday evening.
Pope Francis has been in hospital since Feb 14, when he was admitted for bronchitis; he later developed bilateral pneumonia.
After the Pope had spent several days in hospital, the Vicariate of Vatican City began a regular evening Rosary for the Pope’s health, with Cardinals present in Rome leading the faithful in prayer.
At Monday’s Rosary – the eight consecutive gathering for the Pope’s health – Cardinal Prevost emphasized that Mary, “the Mother of Holy Hope, assists, restores, and consoles all those who have recourse to her help,” while expressing the hope that she might also be “a sign of consolation and of sure hope.”
The evening prayer gathering, which has been held each night at 9.00 pm, takes place in the presence of the image of “Mary Mother of the Church” placed on the porch leading up to St Peter’s Basilica. Cardinals, bishops, priests, men and women religious, and hundreds of the faithful have turned out each night to entrust Pope Francis’ recovery to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
On Monday, Cardinal Prevost led the faithful in the meditation of the Joyful Mysteries, followed by the recitation of the Litany of Loreto, as is customary in Italy. The Cardinal then called on God to send the Holy Spirit “to help us in our weakness so that, persevering in faith, we might grow in love and walk together towards the goal of blessed hope.”
The prayer concluded with the traditional prayer “pro Pontifice nostro,” (“For our Pope”) and the blessing of all those present by the Cardinal.
A prayer for the Pope
V. Let us pray for Francis, our Pope.
R. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the
earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful,
look favorably on your servant Francis,
whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd;
grant, we pray, that by word and example
he may be of service to those over whom he presides
so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care,
he may come to everlasting life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
