Some time ago I had occasion to visit a young girl of fifteen, Mary Beth Ricken, as she was in the final stages of a courageous battle against an aggressive cancer. Her faith was strikingly deep and obviously sustained her with a remarkable resilience. She spoke easily of her sure sense of the presence of Jesus Christ throughout her illness and of the comfort afforded by the support of her parents, family and friends.

As her condition declined I visited her again. She once more expressed these same sentiments. She was without fear. She spoke with gratitude for the blessings in her brief life and for the goodness of all who had shared with her the months of her critical illness.

When finally God called her to Himself it was my privilege to celebrate the Funeral Mass in the Cathedral Basilica. The pain of loss is real for family and friends whenever a loved one dies, and the human mind naturally asks the unanswerable question "why" in the face of so elusive a mystery as the grave illness and death of a person so young. Firm faith and sure hope, however, characterized the funeral liturgy.

As we approach the observance of the World Day of the Sick the inspiration of this experience is fresh in my mind. And I think of the truth told in one of the prayers for the Anointing of the Sick. Addressed to God the Father it expresses our faith that: "In the splendor of his rising your Son conquered suffering and death and bequeathed to us his promise of a new and glorious world, where no bodily pain will afflict us and no anguish of spirit."

For the ninth World Day of the Sick the message prepared by our Holy Father Pope John Paul II offers a reflection from a Christian perspective on the experience of human illness. This week then I wish to draw attention to the Pope’s words.

At the outset Pope John Paul sounds a very personal note. "Every day I go on a spiritual pilgrimage," he says, "to hospitals and treatment centers, where people of every age and social background live. I would particularly like to pause beside the patients, their relatives and the health-care personnel. These places are like shrines where people participate in Christ’s paschal mystery. Even the most heedless person is prompted there to wonder about his or her own life and its meaning, about the reason for evil, suffering and death."

The Holy Father speaks of hospitals, hospices, nursing homes and other facilities which care for the suffering as "privileged areas of the new evangelization." Because of the very nature of these facilities, he continues, those who staff them must be committed to making the Gospel of hope heard in each one.

Then, in light of a question he had posed earlier about the meaning of life and the reason for suffering and death, the Pope says: "Only Jesus the divine Samaritan is the fully satisfying answer to the deepest expectations of every human being in search of peace and salvation. Christ is the Savior of every person and of the whole person. For this reason the Church never tires of proclaiming him, so that the world of illness and the search for health may be enlivened by his light."

Situating his reflection in the context of the beginning of the third Christian millennium, Pope John Paul suggests that now "a new impetus be given to the evangelization of the world of health as a place particularly suited to becoming a valuable laboratory for the civilization of love." He calls on those who are directly involved in the care of the sick "to be always attentive to the needs of the suffering, combining skill and humanity in their professional life."

The Holy Father is likewise concerned about the persistent injustice that deprives a large part of the population of treatments necessary for health – especially in poor countries. He speaks of this as "a grave scandal which can only prompt national leaders to make every effort to ensure that those who lack material means are provided with access to at least basic health care." For Christians, the Pope says, "this is a commitment closely connected with their witness of faith." Moreover, Christians "must proclaim the Gospel of life in a practical way by promoting respect for it and rejecting every kind of attack on it, from abortion to euthanasia."

At the conclusion of his message Pope John Paul addresses the sick and health care professionals. Noting that the observance of World Day of the Sick occurs shortly after the conclusion of the Great Jubilee 2000 he extends a renewed invitation "to contemplate the face of Christ, who became Man 2000 years ago to redeem man." The Pope urges them all: "Proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel of life and hope with generous dedication. Proclaim that Christ is the comfort of all who are in distress or difficulty; he is the strength of those experiencing moments of fatigue and vulnerability; he is the support of those who work zealously to assure better living and health conditions for everyone."

Our local observance of World Day of the Sick will begin on February 9 in the Church of St. Louis. The focal point on this day will be the Eucharistic Sacrifice which I shall celebrate at noon in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. Our priests have all been invited to concelebrate with me.

During the Sacrifice of the Mass a number of them will assist me in administering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to those individuals from our parishes who have come for this purpose. Among them will be those with serious illness, those who will soon have surgery related to serious illness, the elderly who are notably weakened due to age, and those whose condition has become yet more fragile since they were last anointed.

It is also on this occasion that we recognize the contribution of those who are committed to improving health and well-being in our community. In a particular way we do so through the Archbishop John L. May Award For Distinguished Health Care Ministry created by the Archbishop’s Commission on Community Health. The recipients this year are Mildred Jamison – president of Faith House, Kevin Kast – president of St. Joseph Health Center and St. Joseph Hospital West, Henry J. Elmendorf – who has worked extensively with health care services and programs in the St. Charles area, and Doris Stoehner – vice president of community health at Christian Hospital.

A second focus of our local observance of World Day of the Sick will be the first celebration of the White Mass on February 11 at noon in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. It will be my privilege to celebrate the Mass on this occasion as well. Doctors, nurses, administrators and health care workers have been invited to participate. The title given the Mass is thought to be derived from the color of the attire so often associated with health care workers. This observance will be an opportunity to recognize these individuals and acknowledge their commitment to serve those who suffer illness of mind or body. Theirs is an important contribution to the healing ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church.

As we observe this ninth World Day of the Sick I wish to make my own the prayer of Pope John Paul II offered on this occasion: "May Our Lady of Consolation make her motherly protection felt by all her suffering children; may she help you bear witness before the world to the tenderness of God and make you living icons of her Son."

Among the extraordinary moments of grace in the Church of St. Louis in recent years, we must surely number the Weekend of Reconciliation in November of 1999. It was an initiative inspired by the words of our Holy Father Pope John Paul II during his homily at the Mass celebrated in St. Louis at the America’s Center on January 27, 1999. There he said: "In the name of Jesus, the Good Shepherd I wish to make an appeal – an appeal to Catholics throughout the United States and wherever my voice or words may reach – especially to those who for one reason or another are separated from the practice of their faith. On the eve of the Great Jubilee of the two thousandth anniversary of the incarnation, Christ is seeking you out and inviting you back to the community of faith." There followed then the Holy Father’s simple and direct invitation: "Is this not the moment for you to experience the joy of returning to the Father’s house? In some cases there may still be obstacles to Eucharistic participation; in some cases there may be memories to be healed; in all cases there is the assurance of God’s love and mercy."

During the 1999 Reconciliation Weekend – in 62 designated churches throughout the Archdiocese – as many as 40,000 people responded to the Pope’s "assurance of God’s love and mercy." They availed themselves of the opportunity for sacramental Confession.

Our priests who so generously made themselves available as confessors still speak with me about the grace-filled and humbling experience it was for each to serve as the instrument of the mercy and compassion of Jesus Christ whom so many encountered that weekend. Individuals tell me of their initial hesitations after many years away from the sacrament. They go on then to recount the transforming effect of their encounter with Christ in Confession and the liberating experience of the new beginning they then made in God’s grace.

On a number of occasions the question has been raised about the possibility for another Weekend of Reconciliation. Having recently consulted with the Council of Priests I am happy now to announce that plans are nearing completion for Reconciliation Weekend 2001. It will take place on Palm Sunday Weekend – Friday, April 6 from 7:00 till 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 7 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

A similar number of churches will be designated throughout the Archdiocese as sites where the Sacrament of Penance will be available. It will be possible at all of them to receive the Sacrament anonymously or face to face.

All of our priests will be asked to do everything possible to make themselves available as Confessors at some time during the weekend. I am confident that they will respond with characteristic generosity.

Helpful information and preparation materials together with a letter of invitation from me will be distributed to all households on record through each of our parishes. Many commented that the Examination of Conscience included with the materials for the first Reconciliation Weekend was a very effective aid. It will be made available again.

Before our initial Reconciliation Weekend I said that it was my hope and prayer that it would long be remembered as a moment when God’s grace was abounding in the Church of St. Louis. So it has been. I express that same hope and prayer again as we prepare for Reconciliation Weekend 2001. I am confident that God who begins this good work in us will bring it to completion!