AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Coronavirus: an appeal for universal solidarity from the President of the Episcopate

Friday, 3 April 2020 coronavirus   solidarity  

Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - "Dear brothers and sisters, the pandemic due to the coronavirus puts man in front of his fragility; but then the thought of God expressed by the apostle Paul helps us: charity never goes", said His Exc. Mgr. Ignace Dogbo Bessi, Bishop of Katiola, Apostolic Administrator of Korhogo and President of the Episcopal Conference of Ivory Coast, who launches an appeal to universal solidarity in the face of the spread of the Coronavirus which is causing mourning in thousands of families and ruining the world economies.
According to the Bishop of Katiola, the misfortune affecting the whole world can be quickly overcome "only if the struggle is fought in universal charity" which requires honesty and transparency from all in managing the funds allocated to the fight against the coronavirus.
"The whole world has no right to make such a context of upheaval flourish, the saying: 'the misfortune of one makes the happiness of the other' should be banished from the thought of humanity. On the contrary, the misfortune of some is the misfortune of all according to the word of God which says: when a member of the body suffers, all the other members suffer with it (cf. 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 26)", underlines Mgr. Bessi. "If we suffer with those who suffer from this pandemic, if we are in solidarity with their misfortune, we cannot take advantage of it to do business and get rich by exploiting the disease".
In ending his appeal for universal solidarity, Mgr. Bessi recalled that unity in prayer will quickly make us victorious over the coronavirus and the world will resume its march with much more hope in unity and charity without discrimination. (S.S) (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 3/4/2020)


Share: