Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Pondicherry (Agenzia Fides) – AIDS patients and other people with terminal illnesses of the Diocese of Palayamkottai will be assisted and offered treatment by volunteers at the center to be opened by the Catholic community there. In recent days, in a ceremony presided by Bishop Jude Paulraj, the cornerstone of the institute was laid. It is scheduled to open in April 2009, after having obtained all the necessary authorizations from the state.
It is yet another initiative of the Catholic Church, in favor of the sick and marginalized. The center will care mainly for those with AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, and leprosy, which afflict many people in the area. One wing of the center will be dedicated to caring for those with mental disabilities. The center will be staffed by religious and sisters from the diocese, as well as lay volunteers who will offer comfort and service to the sick who oftentimes, given the seriousness of their condition, do not find hospitals and centers willing to look after them.
The Church in Tamil Nadu has 3.2 million Catholics and is the second largest diocese in the country after Kerala (home to the Syro-Malabar Church), however it is the largest among those of the Latin Rite.
There is a strong social difference among the 20% of the inhabitants who are wealthy or well-off, and the 80% of the inhabitants who are living in poverty. Thus, the Catholic community tries to help those most in need, offering free education and medical assistance through the many Christian institutions such as orphanages, schools, and hospitals. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 17/12/2008)
