Pope Saint John Paul II started the World Day of the Sick in 1993. It happens every year on February 11th, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes France in 1858 and since then, the place where Mary appeared, has been a pilgrimage sight where many miraculous healings have happened.
I. Opening Prayer
God of love,
ever caring,
ever strong,
stand by us in our time of need.
Watch over your children who are sick, look after them in every danger,
and grant them your healing and peace.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
(From the English translation of the Pastoral Care for the Sick, 1983)
II. Scripture Reading
John 9: 1-11 (Gospel story of healing) or Mark 8:1-10 (Gospel reading for the Day)
Catechesis Video 1 of 2
The video of the stem cell explains where stem cells come from. It mentions a “blastocyte” that will become and embryo as it develops. Those are words you may not know. They are words we use to explain how old a person is, just like we call people who are just born “babies”, people when they are two years old and just beginning to walk “toddlers”, and then “teenagers”, “adults”, and “elderly”. So a blastocyte is a very tiny and very young person. So is an embryo. Watch the following video to see how a blastocyte, as it gets older, changes; it might not look like a baby when it is really, really young, but it is.
Catechesis Video 2 of 2
The Catholic Church teaches the message of Jesus Christ that we are all called to take care of one another. Our world is filled with suffering sickness. God gave us the gift of smart people who are scientists to help us ease people’s pain and suffering. The Catholic Church supports these scientists and wants us to understand how science can help us heal people. One way of healing is using something called “stem cells”.
So what are stem cells and how can they help us?
III. Catechesis Video Questions
K-6 Grade
Domestic Church – the family
IV. Witness Video Questions
k-6 grade
Domestic Church – the family
V. Action Steps
k-6 grade
Domestic Church – the family
VI. Closing Prayer
“May the Blessed Virgin, “Health of the Sick” and “Mother of the Living”, be our support and our hope and, through the celebration of the Day of the Sick, increase our sensitivity and dedication to those being tested, along with the trusting expectation of the luminous day of our salvation, when every tear will be dried forever (cf. Is 25:8). May it be granted to us to enjoy the first fruits of that day from now on in the superabundant joy — though in the midst of all tribulations (cf. 2 Cor 7:4) — promised by Christ which no one can take from us (Jn 16:22). Amen.”
Pope St. John Paul II, prayer at the end of his message for the First World Day of Prayer for the Sick, From the Vatican, 21 October 1992