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The World Day of the Sick sheds light "On the Sick suffering and The Abused Children" |
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15-02-2009 |
The Latin Parish of the city of Ramallah hosted the World Day of the sick, where his Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem presided a mass on Sunday morning, February 8th 2009 in the Holy Family Church in Ramallah.
Concelebrated with him was Fr. Aktham Hijazin, parish priest of Ramallah, as well as Fr. Humam Khazouz, the Secretary of the Latin Patriarchate, along with a group of priests and sisters.Hundreds of faithful gathered to celebrate the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and to receive the Patriarch's blessings.In his homily, he said, "the World Day of the Sick is the day of every one of us. It is the day of every Christian family living in the Holy Land. It is the day of the church, located in the Holy Land, that embraces the worries, wounds, and the cross of all its present sons and its children who were obliged to migrate. We are all sick people who carry the cross".
His Beatitude continued: "We became almost disabled people carrying our worries and looking for someone to heal us, though knowing that there is no cure for us, because we don’t resort to the right pharmacist who said: " Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”.His Beatitude pointed out that our role as Christians in facing any physical sickness or any harm is in offering it to the Lord. He said, “In front of our pain and our cross, we persist with all our faith and awe, as Virgin Mary did through her silence. She hid everything in her heart, without any complaints or reactions".He also thanked some of the congregations who devoted their lives to serve the sick and the poor. He thanked in particular "Silenziosi Operai Della Croce" who work silently embracing their cross, and who were responsible of organizing the revival of the World Day for the Sick.His Beatitude asked the Almighty God to give good health and full recovery to the sick people and to prevent them from suffering and pain. He also prayed for sick people who were present in the mass.
From Another side, His Holiness Pope Benedict VI delivered a message to the sick children and victims of physical abuse in all around the world. He called the governments to support the laws and the ongoing measures that cover the right of the under-aged people and their families.The Pontiff said: "the Christians can't stay passive in front of the silent shouts of the children and the abandoned in the world. The Human Conscious of the Christian doesn't only forbid him to stay idle but also impose on him the duty to intervene and assist the others".The Pontiff addressed many thanks and showed appreciation to all the church committees, local and international organizations concerned in easing the pains and sufferings of the young, following the example of the Samaritan in the Gospel.At the end of the Pope's message, He assured of his spiritual closeness to all the brothers and sisters who suffer and the sick people, drawing the attention on them, as he said: "the Pope gives a warm hug to all the sick people with their parents and relatives too, assuring them his constant prayers for their sake". |
