Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - AIDS is a sad and painful reality all over the world with different implications according to the geographical setting, Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia and in Africa according to country and peoples.
It is a reality which challenges modern man not only to produce treatment and solutions to slow down the epidemic, but also to help and accompany the terminally ill.
This challenge has been taken seriously by the Camillian Order. We give below a reflection sent to Fides by Brother Giovanni Grigoletto who lives and works at the Our Lady of Fatima centre for terminally ill AIDS patients in Ouagadougou.
“We cannot say that science is not attentive to AIDS, or that there are no illuminated and hardworking researchers or structures to give proper treatment to people affected by the AIDS virus. The Church is undoubtedly in the front line with regard to commitment and attention thanks also to the work of Religious devoted to caring for the sick, the terminally ill in particular”, Brother Grigoletto writes.
“It is precisely here in this difficult and delicate context of a life drawing to an end (often a young life, often the life of a parent with many children which makes the departure all the more painful) that the mission of the Religious man or woman is situated”.
With their help, treatment available, even simply by their presence reassuring and friendly Religious are very often the only interlocutor for the patients many of whom are abandoned by their families. It is here that Religious live their special charisma of total dedication received from the Holy Spirit: dedication which consists of accompanying with respect, love and care brothers and sisters who have reached the end of their life, never questioning where and how the person came to be in this situation, and certainly never passing judgement.
The only concern of the Religious is to alleviate the suffering and accompany the person to meet with the Creator, the Higher Being, God in whom they believe and by whom, after so much suffering, abandoned by all, they will be lovingly welcomed”.
“This is the task, important, delicate, difficult, but so gratifying, with which we have been entrusted by the Lord: to accompany humanly and spiritually so many of our fellow-creatures, created by the same God, our brothers and sisters on the last lap of life.
This is the task humbly assumed by the Camillians at Our Lady of Fatima Centre in Ouagadougou and this is the task assumed by men and women Religious of other congregations all over the world.
This we do in order to follow the one Master, the Lord Jesus, who went about healing every sort of infirmity and sickness” Brother Grigoletto concludes. (AP) (25/3/2004 Agenzia Fides; Righe:42; Parole:540)
