Parolin Calls for Daily Renewal of Faith During Hospital Visit
Cardinal Pietro Parolin marked the Advent season in Rome with a pastoral visit that linked Vatican leadership, spiritual reflection, and the lived realities of illness and care. Celebrating Mass at the Dermopathic Institute of the Immaculate Conception, the Holy See Secretary of State reflected on Advent as a period shaped by expectation, patience, and quiet preparation. He described the liturgy as guiding the Christian community toward the mystery of Christ’s birth, not as a distant historical event but as a reality meant to shape daily life. Speaking in a hospital setting, his words emphasized how faith is often tested and deepened in places marked by vulnerability, where hope must coexist with uncertainty and suffering.
In his homily, Cardinal Parolin focused on the Christian understanding of Christ’s presence as unfolding in more than one moment. He recalled the traditional teaching that Christ comes first in history, again at the end of time, and continuously within the hearts of believers through scripture and sacramental life. This daily dimension of faith, he suggested, is especially visible in environments defined by illness, where human control is limited and reliance on trust becomes more pronounced. Reflecting on the Gospel reading, he highlighted the importance of sincerity over appearances, noting that genuine commitment is measured through actions rather than intentions alone. The hospital, he observed, represents a place where faith is practiced through quiet endurance and compassion.
Following the Mass, the Cardinal visited patients in the oncology ward, offering Christmas greetings and a visible sign of the Church’s closeness to those facing serious illness. By placing a figure of the infant Jesus beneath the institute’s Christmas tree, he symbolically connected the themes of Advent with the daily experiences of patients, staff, and families. His remarks suggested that faith is not confined to liturgical moments but is expressed through presence, care, and shared humanity. The visit reflected a broader Vatican emphasis on integrating doctrine with lived experience, presenting spiritual renewal as something shaped by ordinary encounters rather than abstract reflection. In this context, the hospital became a setting where theological teaching and pastoral practice intersected in a tangible and accessible way.
