US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has commended Pope Francis on the 12th anniversary of his election as Pope and offered prayers for the Holy Father’s recovery on behalf of Catholics in the United States.

“On behalf of the people of the United States of America, and during this Jubilee Holy Year, I extend my best wishes to His Holiness Pope Francis on the twelfth anniversary of his election,” Rubio, a Catholic, said in a March 13 statement.

The US secretary of state also highlighted the shared commitment both the United States and the Vatican have in advancing global peace as well as freedom of religion, conscious and speech around the world.