Annalisa Lourdes was named that because her parents have a strong devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes.
She had a heart problem and had to undergo surgery. The family attended one of the Pope's General Audiences and returned home with an unforgettable memory.
WOMAN
'It was a very exciting moment because we asked His Holiness for a special blessing for Annalisa, and he blessed her heart and her head. It was very moving.'
There were other exciting moments like this one at the Pope's Audience.
She has metastatic osteosarcoma and is a member of the Church group Hakuna.
WOMAN
'I've been sick for some years and I wrote a personal letter to the Pope. I was lucky that he read it and invited us to the audience. In 2013 I met His Holiness and he gave me his blessing. In the letter, I told him that I would like to receive his blessing again. It was very beautiful. He approached us because at the end of the audience, we were where he usually goes to greet the people. He approached us and we gave him a hug. We also gave him a statue of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Hakuna, who is our Lady.'
For a pilgrim, meeting the Pope at a General Audience is one of the most important parts of the trip. Not everyone has the chance to greet him, but it's the best moment to see him up close.
Javier Romero
TR: CT
VM
