During July, Pope Francis invites us to pray for our brothers and sisters who receive the Anointing of the Sick. In The Pope Video, produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, we learn what the Anointing of the Sick means and who can receive it. It is not always the last step before death, nor is it “saying goodbye to life.” Instead, it is the Sacrament of healing for the spirit, a sacrament of hope.

Consider this sacrament a “sign of visible compassion and hope,” asking the Lord to grant his strength to every loved one who receives it.