Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “Even the ancients themselves recognized the importance of respecting the child, as a precious gift and good for society, recognizing the human dignity that they fully possess beginning in their mother's womb. Every human being has a value in and of himself, as created in the image of God, in whose eyes he is even more precious, all the more so when he appears weak in human eyes. With how much love, then, must we welcome a child not yet born and already affected with sickness!” This is the exhortation that the Holy Father Benedict XVI made to participants in the 23rd International Conference organized by the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, entitled, “Pastoral Care in the Treatment of Sick Children,” who were received in an audience held on November 15, 2008, at the end of the Conference.
In his address, the Pope recalled that the progress of medicine in the last 50 years “has led to a considerable reduction in the infant mortality rate, although there is much left to do in this area,” and thus, “the care of the sick child is an issue that cannot remain a matter of indifference to those who work in health pastoral care...The challenge today is to prevent the onset of the many illnesses which were once typical among children and, in general, promote the growth, development, and maintenance of good health for all children.”
Faced with the commitments implied in this vast sphere of activity – which includes families, doctors, social workers, and healthcare workers – the Pope recalled that “at the center of every medical intervention should always be the quest for the true good of the child, considered in his dignity as a human individual with full rights. Therefore, he must always be cared for with love in order to held him face the suffering and the disease, even prior to his birth, in a manner proportionate to his situation.” In particulate, he recalled the importance of guaranteeing the sick child constant communication with his relatives, first and foremost his parents, and mentioned that, “the sanitarian and human spheres should never be separated, and every structure for health and assistance, especially those animated by a genuine Christian spirit, have the duty of offering the best of professional competence and humanity. The sick patient, especially the child, perceives in a unique manner the language of kindness and love, expressed in a considerate, patient, and generous service, which among believers is marked by the desire to show the same special love that Jesus showed for the little children.”
Benedict XVI thought especially of the small children who are orphaned or abandoned because of misery or the breakdown of the family; the children who are innocent victims of AIDS or of the war and the many armed conflicts taking place throughout the world; the children who die from a state of misery, from drought and famine, and said: “The Church does not forget these, the littlest of her children, and while she applauds the initiatives of the wealthier nations in improving their living conditions and progress, she also firmly advises them of their duty in paying greater attention to these brothers of ours, so that thanks to our unanimous solidarity, they can live their lives with confidence and hope.” At the end of his address, the Pope expressed his hope that “the many conditions of inequality that still exist may be soon resolved” and he expressed his appreciation “for all those who dedicate their personal energy and material resources” to the service of the littlest members of society, mentioning “with special acknowledgment” the “Bambin Gesu” Hospital and the numerous Catholic social and health care associations and institutions, “that, following the example of Christ the Good Samaritan, and inflamed with His charity, they may offer human, moral, and spiritual support and relief to many suffering children, who are loved by God with unique predilection.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 17/11/2008)
