In keeping with Pope Francis’ indication regarding the Church’s task of service in the field of health, the Holy Eee is initiating a plan for the recovery of the San Giovanni Calibita-Fatebenefratelli Hospital of Rome, states a note published October 21, 2021, by the Holy See Press Office.
“In the light of what the Holy Father Francis affirmed during the Angelus in the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital last July 11, regarding the Church’s task of service in the health sector, the competent ecclesiastical authorities, with the collaboration of other non-profit institutions, have committed themselves to resolve the economic and management crisis, which the San Giovanni Calibita-Fatebenefratelli Hospital in Rome’s Tiber Island has been going through for some time,” reads the press release.
The note also points out that “taking into account the lofty spiritual and moral value that the Hospital represents — in the sense of an evangelical testimony of attention to and care of the sick, with humanity and professionalism carried out for over four centuries, a restructuring plan has been initiated that, in compliance with the existing regulation and in dialogue with the parts involved in different ways, will enable it to continue to carry out the role that has characterized it up to now in the area of Catholic healthcare.”
Finally, due gratitude is expressed in the text “to the San Donato Group, in the persons of its Vice-Presidents Paolo Rotelli and Kamel Ghribi, and of the Managing Director Francesco Giosue Galli, for the intervention agreed upon with the Generalate of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God (Fatebenefratelli) geared to avoid further aggravation of the present crisis and to find a definitive solution to it.”
Pope Francis’ Words
In fact, during the July 11 Angelus, a few days before being discharged from hospital after undergoing colon surgery, the Holy Father said: “in these days of hospitalization, I have experienced once again the importance of good health care, accessible to all, as there is in Italy and in other countries — a free health service that guarantees good service accessible to all.” “We must not lose this very precious good.” “We must maintain it! And, to do so, we must all make an effort because it serves everyone and requires everyone’s contribution.” “It also happens in the Church sometimes that, due to inadequate management, a health institution is not doing well due to inadequate management; it’s not doing well economically, and the first thought we have is to sell it. However, the vocation in the Church is not to have money but to do a service, and the service is always free. Don’t forget this: save free institutions,” he stressed.
Translation by Virginia M. Forrester
