Cardinal Parolin calls organ donation an act of love that transcends death during his visit to Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome.
Newsroom (17/02/2026 Gaudium Press ) In the heart of Rome, where the Janiculum Hill overlooks the ancient city, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, offered a reflection that reached beyond the walls of the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital. During his visit to inaugurate the hospital’s newly renovated dialysis unit, Parolin delivered a profound address titled “The Culture of Giving,” affirming that every act of generosity becomes “providence passing through human hands.”
Before his speech, the Cardinal blessed the new facility, a project made possible through the support of Intesa Sanpaolo, and spoke alongside an assembly of medical professionals, benefactors, and a young patient whose story personified the event’s spirit of resilience and renewal.
Giving in a World Measured by Profit
In his address at the hospital’s Salviati Hall, Cardinal Parolin invited the audience to reconsider what it truly means to give in a society where worth is often measured “in terms of profit, performance, and utility.” His question—“What can we give?”—found its answer in three timeless dimensions: money, the body, and time.
Financial generosity, he noted, often appears to be the simplest expression of charity, yet it embodies a deep spiritual meaning when offered selflessly. Citing the Gospel’s story of the widow’s mite, Parolin emphasized that even the smallest act of giving can bear immense spiritual weight. “We must trust in God,” he said, “but He works through human beings.” Every act of financial contribution, he continued, restores dignity and supports the Church’s mission to safeguard life and hope.
Organ Donation: A Testament of Hope Beyond Loss
The Cardinal’s words took on particular resonance within the hospital setting, where the realities of illness and the possibility of healing coexist so closely. Turning to organ donation, Parolin described this act as “a love that transcends death.” He drew upon Christ’s teaching, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” to highlight the ultimate expression of generosity—a decision that can turn despair into hope.
In moments of profound suffering, he observed, parents who choose to donate their child’s organs transform grief into new beginnings for others. “In a donated body,” he said softly, “there beats a love that does not surrender to death.” The Cardinal’s reflection echoed across the hall, a call to see in human frailty not tragedy but divine possibility.
The Gift of Time in a Restless Era
Closing his remarks, Cardinal Parolin shifted focus to a form of giving accessible to everyone: the gift of time. In a rushed world, he said, taking a moment to listen—to truly accompany another person—becomes one of the highest acts of charity. Time, he described, is the “heartbeat of compassion,” a resource too often overlooked yet invaluable in healing both spirit and community.
He praised volunteers and healthcare workers alike, calling them “the beating heart of service,” whose daily acts of care transform the Gospel into tangible love. “Every act of care,” he said, “is a concrete response to Jesus’ call: ‘I was sick and you visited me.’” The quality of a civilization, he concluded, is measured by its ability to care for the weakest among it.
A Patient’s Voice: Samuele’s New Life
Adding a deeply human dimension to the event, 17-year-old Samuele Galimberti took the stage to share his experience. Years of rigorous dialysis treatments had confined his youth within hospital walls. His world, once defined by limitations, was transformed the day he received a kidney donor’s call. That call gave him not only life but purpose.
“I pray twice every night,” he said, “once to God and once for my donor, my guardian angel.” Today, Samuele stands as a world champion, having won gold in the 5,000 meters at the World Transplant Games in Germany—a living testament to the miracle of shared life.
Beyond Charity: Building a Culture of Hope
As the event drew to a close, Bambino Gesù President Tiziano Onesti reflected that “investing in children” is more than philanthropy—it is a moral compass guiding a society toward genuine human development. He expressed hope for a “qualitative leap” from the “culture of profit” to one rooted in generosity and shared care.
In this gathering, the message was clear: giving—whether through wealth, body, or time—is no mere act of charity but an affirmation of life itself. Cardinal Parolin’s words reminded those gathered that in every gift freely given, providence finds human hands through which to work its quiet miracles.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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