VATICAN - “The Church in the Service of Love for the Suffering” - Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers and XVIII World Day of the Sick

Monday, 8 February 2010

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Celebration activities for the XXV Anniversary of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers and XVIII World Day of the Sick, which will close on February 11, will begin tomorrow, February 9. The meetings will begin with the exhibition "The Church at the Service of Love for the Suffering," featuring 28 paintings by the painter Francesco Guadagnuolo. The main subject of the paintings on display and Pope John Paul II, who 25 years ago instituted the Congregation, and its relationship to suffering. Monsignor José L. Redrado, OH, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, explained that "the painting exhibition is intended to be an artistic/cultural accompaniment to the religious celebrations scheduled for the 25th anniversary of the Congregation. They will be three days that will reflect on the title of the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, dedicated to the occasion: "The Church at the Service of Love for the Suffering." In the same spirit, a classical music concert has been organized which will also feature the piano duet by German pianist Rolf-Peter Wille and Lina Yeh from Taiwan, along with the Junior Orchestra of the “Conservatorio Santa Cecilia” in Rome. Among the highlights of the day is the International Symposium, scheduled for February 9-10, that will focus on the Apostolic Letter "Salvifici Doloris" and the Motu Proprio "Dolentium hominum," with which Pope John Paul II established the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers. On the morning of February 11, the 18th Day of the Sick, the relics of St. Bernadette Soubirous are expected to arrive in the Vatican and a Solemn Mass will be presided by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Basilica. Following the celebrations, there will be a procession along the “Via della Conciliazione” and a prayer with the Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, organized by UNITALSI, which is scheduled to end in St. Peter's Square. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 8/2/2010)


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