On February 6, 2025, Pope Francis urged midwives and OB-GYNs to carry out their noble work not only with professional competence but also with a profound sense of humanity. Speaking to an association of midwives and OB-GYNs from Calabria at his Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of compassion, sensitivity, and tenderness in the moments surrounding childbirth.
“In a crucial moment of existence such as the birth of a son or daughter, one may feel vulnerable, fragile, and therefore most in need of closeness, tenderness, and warmth,” the Pope shared in a written speech handed out during the meeting. “It does so much good, in such circumstances, to have sensitive and delicate people beside you.” He called on the healthcare professionals to go beyond their technical skills, recommending that they “cultivate, in addition to professional skill, a great sense of humanity” to help foster a joyful and hopeful atmosphere for parents. This approach, he explained, would also “confirm ‘in the parents’ souls the desire and joy for the new life, blossomed from their love’” as St. John Paul II described in his 1980 address to midwives.
Pope Francis also reflected on a concerning trend in Italy and other countries, where parenthood is increasingly viewed as a challenge rather than a joyful opportunity. “There is a loss of enthusiasm for parenthood,” he observed, “where motherhood and fatherhood are no longer seen as the opening of a new horizon of creativity and happiness.” His words encourage healthcare professionals to reinvigorate the understanding of parenthood as a blessing, one that is deserving of a supportive, loving environment during childbirth.
In addition to professionalism and humaneness, the Pope highlighted the spiritual dimension of healthcare. He urged Christian midwives and doctors to incorporate prayer into their practice, offering what he called “the hidden but effective medicine” of prayer. This, he said, can help strengthen the collaboration between parents, nature, and God. “Whether it is appropriate to pray directly with patients or to offer a silent prayer in one’s own heart,” he continued, “prayer can help strengthen that ‘admirable collaboration of parents, nature, and God, from which a new human being in the image and likeness of the Creator comes into being.’” The Pope referenced Venerable Pius XII’s address to the Italian Catholic Union of Midwives in 1951 to underscore the sacred nature of this work.
Pope Francis encouraged midwives and OB-GYNs to feel responsible for the families they serve in a spiritual way, urging them to pray for mothers, fathers, and children—especially through “holy Mass, Eucharistic adoration, and simple, daily prayer.” Such practices, he believes, can help to bring the grace of God into the lives of parents and their newborns.
Through his message, Pope Francis called attention to the essential human and spiritual aspects of healthcare during childbirth, urging Catholic healthcare professionals to be not only skilled practitioners but also compassionate caregivers who recognize the sacredness of the life they help bring into the world.
