Pope Francis says "I therefore invite you to be protectors of the lives of those who suffer" to Surgeons

Pope Francis  received members of the Italian Society of Surgery in the Vatican on Wednesday, Oct. 16, morning on the occasion of the 126th National Congress of the Italian Society of Surgery. The Congress is taking place in Rome on the theme “The Future of the Surgeon – The Surgeon of the Future.” The Holy Father began his remarks praising the work of surgeons to save and care for lives, and thanked them for the sacrifices they make to do this important work.
FULL TEXT ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ITALIAN SOCIETY OF SURGERY
Wednesday, 16 October 2024
___________________________Dear brothers and sisters, good morning.
I am pleased to meet you on the occasion of the 126th National Congress of the Italian Society of Surgery, entitled “The Future of the Surgeon – the Surgeon of the Future”, held here in Rome. I cordially greet the President of the Society, the members of the Council and all of you.
Whoever speaks of the future, speaks of hope, of planning, of commitment. You have developed a beautiful theme! And in this sense your work is precious for man, who is a beautiful and fragile creature, a creature longing for life and a future and at the same time so vulnerable. For this reason, it is important that your style is always human and professional, of someone who takes care of the suffering, because first of all you take them to heart, combining competence and ethics in each of your interventions, according to the culture of health, which is a service to the person in his integrity. Think about the future of the surgeon starting from a culture of dedication to the brother, especially if poor and marginalized. It is always the man who lives and dies, who suffers and heals, not only his organs or tissues.
On the contrary, there is the risk, even for doctors, of losing their vocation, placing themselves outside of that therapeutic alliance, which places at the center those who are sick or injured. Modern medicine, in fact, sometimes tends to focus a lot on the physical dimension of man, rather than considering him in his totality and uniqueness. In this way, however, the body becomes a naked object of scientific investigation and technical manipulation, to the detriment of the patient, who goes into the background. Instead, science is for man, not man for science! A human science.
Today, in a time when surgery makes use of many new technologies, including artificial intelligence, it is good to never forget that nothing can be done without the “hand” of the surgeon. Surgery means “work done with the hand”, “operation of the hand”. And it is exactly like this: to cure, surgeons must wound, incise, cut. So when you have in your hands the body of man, created in the image of God, you act as “artisans of health”, operating on others with the same care with which you would like to be treated. Reflect on the gestures that, as professionals, you put into practice, together, as a team with your collaborators, and do not be afraid to promote, especially among young people, a human, scientific, technological and psychological education: the best characteristics of future surgeons will come from here.
Your work and your mission will always be very important: I therefore invite you to be guardians of the life of those who suffer – guardians of the life of those who suffer. Even when a person cannot heal, he or she can always be treated, so that no one is ever considered or feels like a reject.
And in this regard, esteemed surgeons, I would like to conclude by giving you an icon that can inspire the future of your profession: the icon of Jesus, the doctor of souls and bodies – that is, of the whole man – narrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan (see Luke 10:30-37). In it, the one who takes care of sees and stops without haste: he has compassion for those he meets, he draws near to them and binds their wounds. He sees, he has compassion, he draws near and binds their wounds. These are the attitudes that I recommend to you: seeing with love, feeling compassion, drawing near and taking care. This is how every good doctor becomes the patient’s neighbor.
Thank you for all that you do, even with so much sacrifice. I encourage you to dedicate yourselves with passion to suffering humanity, of which we are all a part.
May Mary, health of the sick, accompany your service, comforting you in the fatigue of work and research. I bless each of you, your families and all the health workers who collaborate with your Society. And, please, do not forget to pray for me: but pray for … Thank you!
[Blessing]