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Health Care Council, World Day of Sick Marked by Vatican — "The Church at the loving service of those who suffer"
Feb. 2, 2010
"The Church at the loving service of those who suffer" will be the theme of celebrations marking the anniversary of the Pontifical Council for Healthcare Workers and the eighteenth World Day of the Sick. The Holy Father will celebrate a special Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. A symposium will study Pope John Paul the Great's "Salvifici Doloris (On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering" and "Dolentium Hominum" (Establishing a Pontifical Commission for the Help of Health Care Workers) as well as interfaith and intercultural approaches to suffering.
EVENTS FOR 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF HEALTHCARE COUNCIL VATICAN CITY, 2 FEB 2010 (VIS) - "The Church at the loving service of those who suffer" will be the theme of the celebrations organised to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Pontifical Council for Healthcare Workers, and the eighteenth World Day of the Sick. The events will take place from 9 to 11 February.
An international symposium, due to be held on 9 and 10 February in the Vatican's New Synod Hall, will examine two documents by John Paul II: the Apostolic Letter "Salvifici Doloris" on the Christian meaning of human suffering (11 February1984), and the Motu Proprio "Dolentium Hominum" with which that Pontiff established the Pontifical Council for Healthcare Workers (11 February 1985).
According to a communique, the symposium will also study the question of suffering from the point of view of Judaism, Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism, and consider how it is seen and experienced in African and Asian cultures.
At 10.30 a.m. on 11 February, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, Benedict XVI will preside at the celebration of the Eucharist in the Vatican Basilica.
The programme of events for that day, prepared by the pontifical council, also includes the arrival of the reliquary of St. Bernadette Soubirous, prayer before the statue of the Virgin of Lourdes and a visit to the tomb of John Paul II.
The events organised for that period also include a concert at the Rome's Santa Cecilia Academy, and an exhibition of paintings dedicated to John Paul II and to suffering.
.../ANNIVERSARY/HEALTHCARE WORKERS VIS 100202 (260)
The news items contained in the Vatican Information Service may be used, in part or in their entirety, by quoting the source:
V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.
Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City
Related resource links:
:: Pope John Paul II Apostolic Letter " Salvifici Doloris" On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering
:: Pope John Paul II Motu Proprio "Dolentium Hominum" (Establishing a Pontifical Commission for the Help of Health Care Workers)
Keywords: Health Care, Health Council, Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI, Catholic, Vatican Information Service
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