Vatican City, Apr 15, 2020 / 07:05 am
Pope Francis prayed for the elderly who are afraid of dying alone at his morning Mass on Wednesday.
"Let us pray today for the elderly, especially for those who are isolated or in nursing homes. They are afraid, afraid of dying alone," Pope Francis said before Mass on April 15.
The pope said that the elderly are "our roots, our story, our history," and asked the Lord to be close to them as the world faces the coronavirus pandemic.
As COVID-19 has led to the deaths of more than 125,000 people worldwide, dioceses have sought creative solutions to bring the sacraments to the elderly and the dying. In Chicago, a team of 24 priest volunteers -- all under age 60 -- administer sacramental anointing of the sick to Catholics with the coronavirus.