Cardinal Parolin Highlights Gift-Giving, Including Organ Donation, at Bambino Gesù Hospital
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, emphasized the importance of giving – in all its forms, from financial contributions to organ donation and the gift of time – during a visit to the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. His remarks came during a conference titled “The Culture of Giving” and a visit to the hospital’s latest dialysis unit.
The Value of Giving in a Materialistic Age
Reflecting on a society often focused on “profit, performance, and utility,” Cardinal Parolin posed the question of what we can truly give. He asserted that the answer is “a great deal—in fact, we can give everything.” He specifically highlighted money, when motivated by charity, as a “tool of justice”. organ donation as a reaffirmation of love that “transcends death”; and time, particularly valuable in today’s “frenetic world,” as “one of the highest forms of charity.”
Economic Gifts and the Mission of Healing
Cardinal Parolin acknowledged the often-underestimated value of financial contributions, stating that economic gifts can become a “concrete form of love,” echoing Jesus’s praise of the widow’s offering at the temple. He emphasized that such generosity “restores dignity” and enables continued care, expressing gratitude to those who support the Bambino Gesù Hospital and participate in its “mission of healing and hope, safeguarding life and dignity.”
Organ Donation: A Love That Overcomes Death
The Cardinal specifically addressed organ donation as a particularly poignant act of giving, especially within the context of dialysis units. He connected this act to Jesus’s teaching on the greatest love – laying down one’s life for a friend – and highlighted the profound value of a parent’s decision to donate an organ in the face of loss, transforming “immense suffering” into “life, hope and future” for another child.
The Gift of Time and the Importance of Human Connection
Cardinal Parolin similarly underscored the accessibility and importance of giving time, emphasizing the power of simply listening, accompanying, and showing care. He praised the perform of volunteers who offer support to the sick and their families, embodying the spirit of the Good Samaritan. He also recognized the dedication of doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers, describing their professions as true vocations requiring a balance of “technique and humanity.”
Challenges and Gratitude at Bambino Gesù
Dr. Francesco Emma, speaking at the conference, recalled the hospital performing its first pediatric dialysis in 1985, describing it as a “strategic service” vital to the hospital’s overall function. He also noted a concerning issue: the potential loss of pediatric dialysis lines due to manufacturing companies discontinuing production due to lack of profitability. Dr. Isabella Guzzo highlighted the importance of the time spent with young patients during dialysis, noting how the Bambino Gesù enriches these periods with educational support.
Patient Testimony and Community Investment
The event included a moving testimony from Samuele Galimberti, a 17-year-vintage kidney transplant recipient who shared his experience with dialysis and his gratitude to his donor, whom he described as his “guardian angel.” Paolo Bonassi of Intesa Sanpaolo emphasized the significance of investing in children, viewing it as an investment in “human capital.”
A Century of Giving
The Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, founded a century ago and later donated to the Holy See, continues to embody the spirit of giving, serving as a leading center for pediatric research and care. President Onesti emphasized the importance of investing in children as the foundation of community well-being and expressed a desire to move beyond a “culture of profit.”