Pope’s February prayer intention: For children with incurable diseases

Vatican City, February 08, 2026: Pope Leo XIV has dedicated his February prayer intention to children living with incurable illnesses, urging Catholics worldwide to recognise the face of God in every suffering child and to respond with compassion, care and solidarity.

In his monthly Pray with the Pope video, Pope Leo XIV opened with a prayer addressed to Jesus, recalling how Christ welcomed and blessed children. He described the fragile bodies of sick children as a sign of Jesus’ presence and said their smiles amid pain bear witness to God’s Kingdom.

The Pope prayed that these children may never be deprived of proper medical care, humane and compassionate attention, or the support of a loving community. He also entrusted their families, caregivers and doctors to the Holy Spirit, asking that they be guided in difficult decisions and strengthened with patience and tenderness.

“Lord, teach us to recognise your face in every suffering child,” the Pope prayed, asking that vulnerability may awaken compassion and inspire concrete gestures of solidarity. He concluded by inviting the Church to uphold fragility and become a source of comfort in the midst of suffering.

According to a press release from the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which coordinates the Pray with the Pope initiative, the Holy Father is carrying suffering children in his heart throughout the month. The video was recorded at the Church of St Pellegrino in the Vatican, where the Pope is seen holding drawings made by children receiving care at the Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital in Rome.

Global figures highlight the scale of the challenge. The World Health Organization reports that around 400,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer each year, making it one of the leading causes of death among infants and teenagers. UNICEF estimates that more than 2.1 billion children and adolescents under the age of 20 live with chronic or long-term health conditions, and about one million die each year as a result.

Fr Cristóbal Fones, Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, said the response to the intention has been deeply encouraging. More than 20 million people in over 90 countries are uniting in prayer this month, he noted, demonstrating that this difficult reality touches hearts and strengthens commitment.

Through this February intention, Pope Leo XIV calls the faithful not only to pray, but also to become a Church animated by compassion and service — one that stands beside suffering children and their families as a living sign of hope and new life.

Pope’s February prayer intention: For children with incurable diseases

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