New Delhi (Fides Service) - Good Friday is the day on which Christians remember with reverence that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, shed his blood for the salvation of the whole world. As a symbolic gesture in gratitude to the Redeemer and to help those in need, this year a group young Catholics in New Delhi decided to donate their blood at a local hospital.
On 18 April about 100 young Catholics, with a sense of deep religious devotion and solidarity with the needy, lined up to donate blood at the Santhome Centre. Agnes Jerny, a nurse at the hospital, explained the act of generosity: "Jesus Christ made his great sacrifice for us and for all people and we want to be worthy of his love and to make our own small contribution."
"We were greatly surprised to see the response to our call to donate blood" said Father Benny Maramparambil, Syro-Malabar chaplain at Santhom Centre. The medical staff were also deeply impressed by the number of young people who came forward. This generous sacrifice enabled to hospital to put aside a stock of blood for emergency cases. The gesture, noted and praised in various parts of India, demonstrated that New Delhi's young Catholics listen to the Gospel and are aware of the needs of neighbour. PA (Fides Service 25/4/2003 EM lines 22 Words: 288)