British Catholics offer their prayers and support to the Pope

Pope Francis has been hospitalised for per week, initially with issues regarding bronchitis, but this week it was confirmed that the top of the Roman Catholic Church has a respiratory tract infection and pneumonia in each lungs.

The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has written to the Pope, assuring him of the prayers and good wishes of Catholics up and down the country.

“[I] assure you of the prayers of so many here in England and Wales. The prayers of the Catholic community are fervent and heartfelt. Many others, I’m sure, are joining on this prayer on your recovery and continued health,” he said. 

Cardinal Nichols also wrote of the high regard and loyalty that Catholics here have towards the Pope: “Catholics in England and Wales have a selected devotion to the person of the Holy Father, arising out of the historic loyalty of the faithful in these countries to him … Very many individuals hold you in high esteem and appreciate deeply the guidance and leadership you give in your Petrine ministry.”

In his letter, the Cardinal asked the Pope to bless the people of Great Britain and wrote a prayer for the Pope.

“We pray that through the intercession of our Blessed Lady, especially under her title of Our Lady of Walsingham, it’s possible you’ll be given strength and perseverance in lately and proceed to bring to the world the enjoyment and compassion which has been so steadfastly at the guts of your ministry,” he said. 

Our Lady of Walsingham is certainly one of the titles utilized by British Catholics to discuss with Mary, the mother of Jesus. The name stems from the village of Walsingham in Norfolk, where in 1061 an area noblewoman reported seeing visions of Mary.

Lady Richeldis de Faverches was reportedly transported by Mary in a vision to the home that Jesus grew up in and was then told to construct a duplicate of the home in her village. The “Holy House”, because it became known, became a well-liked pilgrimage location.

The Pope is anticipated to stay in Rome’s Gemelli hospital for no less than one other week after the medical team caring for him said while he’s responding to treatment, he just isn’t out of danger yet.