Fr. Leo Pessini – Global Bioethics at a Time of Uncertainty, Perplexity and Hope
Rome, 8 December 2018
Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
This book, entitled ‘Bioethics in a Time of Uncertainty and Perplexity and Hope’, brings together a number of texts which have already been shared in digital form through the monthly Camillian Newsletter (the world seen from Rome…and Rome seen from the world) and in the quarterly bulletin of the Order, Camilliani/Camillians, published in Italian and English, the two official languages of the Order.
These reflections of a bioethical character, which also contain the ethical outlook of Camillian pastoral care, were born from contact with, and knowledge of, the various and plural realities of the world during a series of journeys. These took place during my mandate of service for the Order in the period 2014-2019 on the occasion of my visits to Camillian communities that work in the field of health and care for the sick in forty-one countries of the five continents of the world: Africa (Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the Ivory Coast and Madagascar); Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, mainland China, Taiwan, the Philippines, India, Indonesia and Australia); Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Mexico); and South America (the United States of America), without mentioning various European countries in which the Camillians are present, principally Italy – the cradle of the Order.
Our Order of Camillians has borne witness for over four centuries to the heroic spirit of Samaritan service (martyrs to charity) in the health-care world towards those who have been assaulted on the road of life; towards human illness, pain and suffering. The strong image of which we have been the custodians down history is to take care of the body and the spirit of a human being who is lying on a bed or stretched out upon the ground.
Today we have before us the urgent need to put this human being ‘back on his feet’, fully alive and healthy. This is to carry out the message of the good shepherd: ‘I came so that all may have life, and have it in abundance’ (Jn 10:10), without depriving anyone of Samaritan care. You need a great deal of determination to take on the responsibility for implementing a Copernican paradigmatic revolution in the world of health and health care in which we work and inside our own health-care works. The gift of health constitutes ‘the authentic infrastructure of human fullness and happiness’.
Until a short time ago, there was little scientific knowledge about the prevention of illness. Thanks to the development of technology in the field of health and health care, and new knowledge in the field of public health, today we are more aware of the value of the prevention of the most common illnesses that still afflict millions people every year in the world, in particular children, the most vulnerable individuals.
SCARICA QUI l’edizione provvisoria in Francese
THE CAMILLIAN DELEGATION IN KENYA
The perpetual profession of Paul Kioko Sammy
The perpetual profession of Paul Kioko Sammy which took place at the St. Camillus Seminary of Nairobi on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, 8 December 2018, accepted by the Provincial Delegate Fr. Dominic Mwanzia.
THE CAMILLIAN DELEGATION IN TAIWAN
On 18 December 2018 a new building for the nursing school was dedicated to Fr. Antonio Didonè, who died recently after fifty years spent as a Camillian and a medical doctor in Taiwan.
On 22 December 2018, in the church dedicated to St. Camillus in Lotung, the ordination as a deacon took place of our religious Giuseppe Khanh. The celebration was presided over by the Archbishop of Taipei, Msgr. John Hung.
On 24 December 2018 the celebrations began for Christmas. In addition to the celebrations in the various parishes and chapels, convivial moments were organised with the workers and the guests of all our health-care and care works. During the Christmas Mass five baptisms were also celebrated.
THE PROVINCE OF NORTH ITALY – pastoral care for young Camillian vocations
On 16 December 2018, at the Fraternità San Camillo di Piossasco and the Oratory of Bruino, a very beautiful meeting of fraternity and sharing took place between the young people’s group of OFTAL of Turin and the young people’s group of Punto Giovani.
THE DELEGATION IN HAITI
Wednesday 12 December 2018 was a day of joy for the community of Ranja (Haiti). In the presence of the Bishop of Jeremie and the President of the CADIS Foundation, Br. Ignazio Santaolalla, the multi-use room built by CADIS, with the support of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, was inaugurated and blessed. See Camillian Disaster Service International
THE PROVINCE OF BRAZIL
On 15 December 2018 the ordination as a priest was solemnly celebrated of our Brazilian Camillian religious, Elielton José da Silva.
THE PROVINCE OF SPAIN
On Wednesday 9 January 2019, at 16.00, at the Aula Magna of the Camillianum, our Camillian religious Fr. Bautista Garcìa Mateo publicly defended the thesis for his doctorate in theology.
THE PROVINCE OF SICILY AND NAPLES – new parish mission
The Camillian mission at the St. John the Baptist Parish of Lucera (Foggia) (9-15 December 2018).
At Lucera, in Puglia, five Camillian men religious and four women religious of the women Ministers of the Sick animated the Camillian parish mission in the Parish of St. John the Baptist. Comfort and hope for our sick and suffering brothers and sisters!
THE CAMILLIAN PROVINCE OF BURKIAN FASO
Opening ceremony of the ‘St. Camillus’ nursing school in Ouagadougou
On Saturday 1 December 2018, at the Health Humanization Center of Ouagadougou, the opening ceremony took place of the first school for nurses and obstetricians of the Saint Camille Private Health School (EPSCA).
THE CAMILLIAN PROVINCE OF BENIN-TOGO
On 18 December 2018 our religious Fr. Hubert Goudjinou defended the thesis of his advanced degree in psychology at LUMSA University of Rome. The subject of his thesis was: ‘The Patient and the Doctor Faced with the Increasing Medicalisation of Life’.
THE CAMILLIAN PROVINCE OF ROME
On Saturday 15 December 2018 the religious of the Camillian Province of Rome celebrated the Rite of Advent in preparation for Christmas in the presence of Don Marco Pozza, the prison chaplain of Padua and editor together with Pope Francis of the commentaries on the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary.
Opening of the Camillian Vocational Year at the community of Villa Sacra Famiglia (Rome) in the presence of H.E. Msgr. Paolo Ricciardi who also visited the room of Nicola D’Onofrio where the vocational lamp is located that will remain alight for a year.
On 9 December 2018 our religious Nicola Mastrocola and Walter Vinci made their vows of perpetual profession. The celebration took place in the Basilica of St. Camillus in Rome.
ROME – VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY MAGDALENE
Do you want to come close to the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, the Chapter Hall, the Museum of St Camillus and the Generalate House of the Camillians?
We invite you to take part in the virtual visit created by the Camillian Province of Spain thanks to the cooperation of the Undanet group.
A CURIOSITY FROM OUR HISTORICAL ARCHIVES
8 December 1591: Camillus and his companions make their perpetual profession
Libro de’ professi de’ Ministri degli Infermi. The official catalogue of the Order in which acts are registered by a public notary as well as similar witnesses to professions. It contains among other things the act by the public notary of the first profession of St. Camillus (the figure on the cover) and the act of profession of his 25 companions (f. 7), 8 December 1591.
Description of the cover of the Libro de’ professi (41.5 x 28cm). This is the oldest official catalogue of the Order. Bound in leather with embellishments in gold on the borders, in the corners and on the spine, imprinted in the middle is a fine cross in brown that is thought to be the size and the colour adopted by the Founder. The measurements of the cross are as follows: total length, 24cm (Roman span); length of the two transversal arms, 15.2cm; length of the longest arm, 17.5cm; length of the shortest arm, 3.7cm; length of each transversal arm, 6.3cm; length of the rod, 2.7cm.
Here in format PDF are the biographical data on the first professed (cf. Sanzio Cicatelli, Vita del p. Camillo de Lellis, pp. 325-329)
DECEASED RELIGIOUS
‘See, now they vanish, the faces and places, with the self which, as it could, loved them. To become renewed, transfigured, in another pattern’ (T.S. Eliot).
The Camillian religious of the Province of Sicily and Naples communicate the death of their confrere Father Giovanni Macca (at the age of 89). His death took place on 6 January 2019 (the Epiphany of the Lord) at the Camillian community of Mangano (Sicily). Let us remember Fr. Giovanni in our prayers!
‘Now they live in Christ whom they met in the Church, followed in our vocation, and served in the sick and the suffering. Trusting that the Lord, the Holy Virgin our Queen, St. Camillus, the Blessed Luigi Tezza, the Blessed Giuseppina Vannini, and our deceased religious brothers and sisters, will welcome them in their midst, we commend them in our prayers, remembering them with affection, esteem and gratitude’.
PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF ALL TYPES OF DISASTERS – CADIS
For all the victims of all types of disasters, for people who have lost their lives, for their loved ones, for the survivors, and for all those who work to provide help, we pray:
God in heaven, who has created and who preserves every existence,
You know all of our sadness and our suffering. May all the victims of all types of disasters be welcomed in your peace! Receive, we pray, in your mercy, our very many brothers and sisters buried by the forces unleashed by nature. Lead them to your home!
Comfort the pain of so many families, dry the tears of so many brothers and sisters, offer protection to the loneliness of so many orphans. Instill courage into everyone so that pain is transformed into a journey of growth and hope.
Generate in the hearts of Christians and all men and women of good will the wish to act so that the wounded and those who suffer because of these calamities experience the comfort of fraternal solidarity.
You who live and reign for ever and ever.
Amen.
Our Father – Hail Mary – Glory
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