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Pope Francis paid tribute to the “all-too-short life” of Indi Gregory in a message sent on the occasion of her funeral, celebrated December 1, 2023, at the St. Barnabas Cathedral in Nottingham, UK. In a telegram signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and addressed to Bishop Patrick McKinney of Nottingham, the Pontiff assures the parents of the deceased, Dean and Claire, as well as “all who mourn the loss of this precious child of God” of his prayers and closeness.
“Entrusting Indi into the tender and loving hands of Our Heavenly Father, his Holiness joins those gathered for her funeral in thanking Almighty God for the gift of her all-too-short life,” the telegram says.
The Pope “likewise prays that the Lord Jesus, who said to his disciples ‘let the little children come to me … for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs’ (Mt 19:14), will grant abiding comfort, strength and peace to you all.”
This reading was chosen by Indi’s parents for the funeral Mass.
Indi and her family’s witness
In his homily, Bishop McKinney paid tribute to the little girl, a “real fighter,” who had battled, according to her parents, until the very end of her life. He praised the witness she and her parents had given, adding that her family is “greatly comforted by this truth that Christ Jesus continues to look after Indi in heaven.”
“Although only 8 months old, Indi’s struggle for life from her hospital crib here in Nottingham touched the hearts of so many people here in the UK and in other parts of the world,” Bishop McKinney said.
“Indi’s short life serves to remind us of how precious life is, how precious every person is; she reminds us of how precious is the dignity of every human being; that whether a baby in the womb, someone very young like Indi, or elderly, healthy or sick, big or small, each person is of infinite value and is to be respected as such,” he added. “That’s a wonderful legacy of Indi’s short life on earth.”
The case
Indi Gregory died on November 13 in a British hospital after battling a rare mitochondrial disease. Her case made headlines all over the world and was the subject of intense negotiations between the UK and the Italian government; the latter had granted her Italian nationality in order to be able to receive her in Italy for care. The Vatican’s Bambino Gesù pediatric hospital in Rome had offered to take in the child.
In the end, the British authorities refused Indi’s transfer and ruled that she should be taken off life support.
And today we celebrate...