Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Maumere (Agenzia Fides) - "They are like a big family with 'one heart, one soul and one spirit' that cares for those who suffer and feel alone. This is the special quality that characterizes the group of young Camillians "living messengers" of their founder, St. Camillus, who wanted them to serve the sick and poor "like Jesus," said the Italian Camillian missionary living on the island, Father Luigi Galvani, who shares with Fides the day he experienced with the population yesterday, February 18.
Following the message that Pope Francis pronounced on the occasion of the XXXII World Day of the Sick, the Camillians living in the diocese of Maumere on the Indonesian island of Flores, together with some sick people, shared their joy and emotion at the visit of some young priests and seminarians. "With our presence we wanted to concretely interpret Pope Francis' message 'It is not good for man to be alone'," says the missionary. "The concelebration in the hospital chapel was lively and particularly moving, organized by two novice priests and a Camillian deacon who had been ordained a few days earlier, together with sixty seminarians. We tried to make people forget, at least for a few moments, the suffering, loneliness and isolation."
The missionary also describes the outreach not only to the sick in the city's large hospital, where the Camillians are responsible for pastoral care, but also to dozens of other sick and elderly people in various parishes. "During the Eucharistic liturgy, seven young Camillian priests administered the Sacrament of Anointing to about 250 sick people. Even the medical and nursing staff present at the celebration particularly admired the group of young Camillians who were enthusiastic about their vocation". (LG/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 19/2/2024)
