Dolentium Hominum N.71
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DOLENTIUM HOMINUM N. 71 – Year XXIV – No. 2, 2009 JOURNAL OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS (FOR HEALTH PASTORAL CARE) ARCHBISHOP ZYGMUNT ZIMOWSKI,,Editor-in-Chief CORRESPONDENTS BISHOP JOSÉ L. REDRADO, O.H., Executive Editor REV.MATEO BAUTISTA, Bolivia MONSIGNOR J. JAMES CASSIDY, U.S.A. REV.RUDE DELGADO, Spain REV.RAMON FERRERO, Spain REV.BENOIT GOUDOTE, Ivory Coast EDITORIAL BOARD PROFESSOR SALVINO LEONE, Italy REV.JORGE PALENCIA, Mexico REV.CIRO BENEDETTINI REV.GEORGE PEREIRA, India DR.LILIANA BOLIS MRS.AN VERLINDE, Belgium SR.AURELIA CUADRON PROFESSOR ROBERT WALLEY, Canada REV.GIOVANNI D’ERCOLE, F.D.P. DR.MAYA EL-HACHEM REV.GIANFRANCO GRIECO REV.BONIFACIO HONINGS MONSIGNOR JESÚS IRIGOYEN EDITORIAL STAFF REV.JOSEPH JOBLIN REV.VITO MAGNO, R.C.I. DR.COLETTE CHALON DR.DINA NEROZZI-FRAJESE MRS.STEFANIA CASABIANCA DR.FRANCO PLACIDI DR.ANTONELLA FARINA REV.LUCIANO SANDRIN DR.MATTHEW FFORDE MONSIGNOR ITALO TADDEI DR.GUILLERMO QWISTGAARD Editorial and Business Offices: PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS (FOR HEALTH PASTORAL CARE) VATICAN CITY; Tel. 06-6988-3138, 06-6988-4720, 06-6988-4799, Fax: 06-6988-3139 www.healthpastoral.org - e-mail: [email protected] Published three times a year. Subscription rate: € 32 postage included Printed by Editrice VELAR, Gorle (BG) Cover: Glass window Rev. Costantino Ruggeri Poste Italiane s.p.a. Spedizione in Abbonamento Postale - D.L. 353/2003 (conv. In L. 27/02/2004 nº 46) art. 1, comma 2, DCB Roma Contents 4 Speech of the Holy See Delegation 26 Human Resources to the 62nd World Health Assembly in Catholic Health-Care Structures: S.E. Msgr. Zygmunt Zimowski What Sustainability for the Future The Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers THE XVII WORLD DAY OF THE SICK 11 FEBRUARY 2009 34 Hospitals as Settings for the Exploration and Practice of Hope 6 Account H.E. Msgr. José Luis Redrado, O.H. Msgr. Dariusz Giers 40 The Mental Capacity Act 2005: 8 Angelus Bioethical Assessments Benedict XVI Rev. Bonifacio Honings, O.C.D. 9 Address of the Holy Father 43 Prior Decisions Concerning Life: Benedict XVI a Guide for Catholics Rev. Bonifacio Honings, O.C.D. 11 The World Day of the Sick 2 in the Spanish Church 46 Accompanying the Family The Department for Pastoral Care in Health, Rev. Arnaldo Pangrazzi, M.I. the Spanish Bishops’Conference 12 The World Day of the Sick in Bolivia TESTIMONIES Msgr. Walter Pérez Villamonte 50 Physician and Apostle: 12 The World Day of the Sick, a Survey of the Life and Virtues Iraq, Baghdad of the Servant of God Pedro Herrero Rubio 13 Taiwan, the World Day of the Sick H.E. Msgr. Rafael Palmero Ramos 16 Australia 55 Spain: the Association of Christian H.E. Msgr. Philip Wilson, DD JGI Health-Care Workers Rev. Rudesindo Delgado TOPICS 61 Suffering, a School of Life: the Servant of God 20 The Faith of Priests in Limit Situations Manuel Lozano Garrido Rev. Rudesindo Delgado H.E. Msgr. José Luis Redrado, O.H. Appointment of the Under-Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers On 31 July 2009 the Holy Father appointed Rev. Msgr. Jean-Marie Musivi Mpendawatu Under-Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers for a five-year period. He replaces Rev. Fr. Felice Ruffini M.I., who finishes his service for reasons of age. So many thanks to Fr. Ruffini for the service that he has rendered over the last twenty-four years as Under-Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers The illustrations in this edition are taken from the book: L’amore di Dio per noi, il Vangelo published by Editrice Velar, Gorle (BG) DOLENTIUM HOMINUM N. 71-2009 Speech of the Holy See Delegation to the 62nd World Health Assembly 18-27 MAY 2009, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND Mr/Mme Chair: bility that is carried by faith-based organisa- I wish to present the Holy See’s sincere tions and thousands of Church-sponsored congratulations and good wishes on your ap- health-care institutions in the provision of pointment to this important office. support and treatment to those living in Recently appointed by His Holiness Pope poverty. The increasing financial burden Benedict XVI as the President of the Pontifi- placed on governments during this economic cal Council for Health Care Workers, I con- crisis is felt even more acutely by the Church sider it a great honour to share with the dele- – sponsored institutions that are often de- gates at this 62nd World Health Assembly prived of access to governmental or interna- some of the reflections and concerns of the tional funding and yet persevere in the strug- Holy See. In relation to the impact on health gle to serve those most in need. The values 4 and health-care during this period of global that motivate such service on the part of faith- economic crisis, the Holy See shares the pre- based organizations, in addition to the over- occupation already expressed by other dele- riding value of the sacredness and dignity of gates. human life, include some of the same princi- The current crisis has raised the specter of ples articulated in the Resolution on Primary the cancellation or drastic reduction of exter- Health Care being considered by this Assem- nal assistance programs, especially for less bly. I refer to principles such as “equity, soli- developed countries. This will dramatically darity, social justice and universal access to jeopardize the state of their health systems, services.”2 which are already overburdened by endemic, epidemic and viral diseases. Pope Benedict Mr/Mme Chair, XVI in his message to the G-20 observed that In 1998 the Pontifical Council – prompted “the way out of the current global crisis can by the World Health Organization – conduct- only be reached together, avoiding solutions ed a research in local Churches on the chal- marked by any nationalistic selfishness or lenges faced by the international community protectionism.” He therefore calls for “a in the attainment of health for all. The results courageous and generous strengthening of in- of this inquiry showed that one of the greatest ternational co-operation, capable of promot- challenges was the implementation of the ing a truly humane and integral develop- principle of equity.3 A decade later, I am ment.”1 afraid to note that this challenge still holds in My delegation also wishes to point out the most countries. My delegation therefore notes high importance and the particular responsi- with great attention the resolution concerning the Social Determinants of Health that is pro- posed for passage by this Assembly and is particularly interested in the urgent plea con- tained therein for governments “to develop and implement goals and strategies to im- prove public health with a focus on health in- equities.” 4 Furthermore, there is a shared concern for the millions of children globally who do not reach their full potential due to the serious gaps in health equity. This same concern was addressed by Pope Benedict XVI to the par- ticipants at the 2008 International Conference of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, when he called for “a decisive ac- tion aimed at preventing illnesses as far as possible” among these children and when they are present, treating them “by means of DOLENTIUM HOMINUM N. 71-2009 the most modern discoveries of medical sci- nomic models, necessary though they are. ence as well as by promoting better standards Justice is achieved only if there are upright of hygiene and sanitation, especially in the people.”7 less fortunate countries” 5 Thank you, Mr/Mme Chair. Mr/Mme Chair, H.E. Msgr. ZYGMUNT ZIMOWSKI We cannot allow such defenseless children, President of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, their parents and other adults in low-income the Holy See communities throughout this world to be- come even more vulnerable as a result of the Notes global economic crisis, which is largely fu- 1 BENEDICT XVI, Letter to Mr. Gordon Brown ahead of the elled by selfishness and greed. Thus the Holy G20 Summit, 30 March 2009. Father insists that we “need a strong sense of 2 http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB124/B124_R8- en.pdf. global solidarity between rich and poor coun- 3 Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, Research on tries, as well as within individual countries, “Project de document de consultation pour l’actualisation de la stratégie mondial de la santé pour tous”, Rome 1998, (un- including affluent ones. A common code of published text). ethics is also needed, consisting of norms 4 http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB124/B124_R8- en.pdf. based not upon mere consensus, but rooted in 5 BENEDICT XVI, Address to Participants in the 23rd Inter- national Congress on the Pastoral Care in the Treatment of the natural law inscribed by the Creator on Sick Children, 5 November 2008, Rome. the conscience of every human being (cf. 6 BENEDICT XVI, Message for the Celebration of the World 6 Day of Peace, 1 January 2009, n. 8. Rom 2:14-15)”. Because, “justice cannot be 7 BENEDICT XVI, Address to the Parish Priests and Clergy 5 created in the world solely through good eco- of the Diocese of Rome, 26 February 2009. DOLENTIUM HOMINUM N. 71-2009 The XVII World Day of the Sick 11 February 2009 6 Account The Holy Father Benedict of God, would thereby be mul- There are tiny human beings XVI expressed in his Message tiplied The same hope applies who bear in their bodies the the following wish: ‘I therefore to health-care centres and to consequences of incapacitating hope that the World Day of the groups responsible for pastoral diseases, and others who are Sick will offer the parish and care in hospitals throughout the fighting illnesses that are still diocesan communities an op- world.