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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Standalone ministry for healthcare, wellness created

Standalone ministry for healthcare, wellness created

Published Feb 12, 2021 10:29 am

In order to reach out to congregations of all faiths and denominations, a body that will work with parishes around health and wellness issues was created by a Catholic diocese in central Philippines.

According to CBCP News, the Diocese of Naval in Biliran province on Thursday, Feb. 11, launched the said standalone ministry for healthcare in line with the national celebration of the 2020 World Day of the Sick. 

Bishop Rex Ramirez of Naval, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Health Care, answers questions from the media during a virtual press conference for the 29th World Day of the Sick on Jan. 11. (SCREENSHOT / DIOCESE OF NAVAL VIA CBCP / MANILA BULLETIN)

For Bishop Rex Ramirez of Naval, there is a need to collaborate with public health agencies for programs “that would be good for our use.”

Ramirez noted that the said ministry is “not something new” in the diocese as several initiatives related to this have been conducted before at the parish level. For instance, he said even their feeding programs have been handled by the diocese’s social action center way before.

“Now, there will be oversight from the diocese,” Ramirez said. “So this is the beginning of our healthcare ministry,” he added.

Among the ministry’s priorities, Ramirez said, is to put up a program for the elderly - especially those who are sick. He added that this initiative is also in support of Pope Francis’ call for care of the elderly.

“I think such a program will be very useful especially for this year when the Holy Father has encouraged special attention for the elderly,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez, who also heads the bishop conference’s Commission on Healthcare, said that they have been helping dioceses to have a more robust, integrated, and a comprehensive healthcare program

“We are really increasing in this sense… more and more dioceses are encouraging their people and organizing themselves to better help out in the healthcare ministry,” Ramirez explained.

CBCP said that health is an increasing apostolate in the Church - with about 60 to 70 percent of the country’s dioceses already have their own standalone healthcare ministries. “All dioceses have healthcare programs but some of them are incorporated under their social action ministries,” it added.

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