Pope Francis health concerns top of mind at National Catholic Prayer Breakfast

By Tyler Arnold

Washington D.C., Feb 28, 2025 /
19:30 pm

Speakers and attendees at the 2025 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast on Friday prayed for Pope Francis amid his ongoing ailments, emphasized a message of hope, and called attention to ongoing pro-life policy efforts.

“The Holy Father is still in precarious circumstances, but thanks be to God [and] thanks be to the prayers of Catholics throughout the world,” Monsignor Roger Landry, the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA, told EWTN News at the breakfast.

During his remarks at the event, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, said Pope Francis is thankful for the prayers as he remains in critical — but stable — condition in the hospital amid his battle with pneumonia and other respiratory ailments. 

“[Pope Francis] cares for the people of this country and he values our unity with him in faith and in hope,” Pierre said, adding: “He wants to encourage us in prayer and action for the common good.”

The annual event included a prayer for the Holy Father’s health led by Vice President JD Vance and a Divine Mercy Chaplet prayed for the pontiff, for the leaders of the country and the world, led by Mexican actor and activist Eduardo Verástegui.

Alessandro DiSanto, co-founder of the Catholic prayer application Hallow, recited the final novena prayer for the country. 

The organizers also bestowed several service awards during the event, including to Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, who was given the Christifidelis Laici Award for his consistent defense of the right to life and religious freedom. Smith also spoke during the breakfast. 

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker and San Diego businessman Terry Caster were given “Heroes of Hope” awards for their promotion of the Catholic faith.

A message of hope

The theme of the 2025 breakfast was centered on the theological virtue of hope, which is also the theme of the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope.

During his opening remarks Mark Randall, chairman of the breakfast, said that “even as we acknowledge our concern” for Pope Francis’ health, “we’re uplifted by the theme of this milestone gathering: hope.”

“Hope is the anchor that binds us to faith and guides us to love,” Randall said. “As Pope Francis has so beautifully written: ‘Hope is not something distant or elusive. It is already within us. It is simply ours to strengthen through God’s grace and to share with the world.”

Delivering the event’s keynote address, Monsignor James Shea, president of the University of Mary in North Dakota, said that “without hope, everything falls apart for us.”

“Without hope, human beings are miserable and unhappy creatures. It doesn’t matter — you can give us wealth and health and prosperity of every kind, but eventually without hope, we’ll tire of it.” 

Shea explained that the Christian hope in everlasting life in heaven helps guide faithful people to do good things here on Earth. 

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