Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers
Encyclopedia
The Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers was set up by the Motu Proprio
Dolentium Hominum of 11 February 1985, by Pope John Paul II
who reformed the Pontifical Commission for the Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers into its present form in 1988. It is part of the Roman Curia
. The Apostolic Constitution
Pastor Bonus
describes the work of the council as
Its tasks also include coordinating the activities of different dicasteries of the Roman Curia as they relate to health care. The Pontifical Council explains and defends the teachings of the Church
on health issues. The Council also follows and studies programs and initiatives of health care policy at both international and national levels, with the goal of extracting its relevance and implications for the pastoral care of the Church.
Archbishop
Zygmunt Zimowski
is its President, and Monsignor Jean-Marie Musivi Mupendawatu is the Secretary.
, that a papal foundation affiliated with the Pontifical Council, that is dedicated largely to AIDS
patients, may expand its services to include a global program of distributing anti-AIDS drugs.
The initiative would respond to a shortage of antiretroviral drugs and other drugs in poorer countries, where the vast majority of AIDS patients receive no adequate treatment.
Monsignor Mupendawatu is a delegate to the Good Samaritan Foundation, established by the late former Pope, Blessed Pope John Paul II, in 2004, to provide economic support to the sick who are most in need, particularly those suffering from AIDS.
Monsignor Mupendawatu said the Foundation planned to strengthen its activity, particularly in Africa
, by increasing its promotion of donations of pharmaceutical and medical material, and by working more closely with local Catholic leaders to place the Church in the forefront of the care for AIDS patients.
To favor these efforts, he said, the foundation may open offices on every continent, which would function in coordination with the central office at the Vatican in Rome.
"The foundation is also studying the possibility of creating its own 'pharmaceutical center' which would allow the collection and distribution of medicines in poor countries," he said. The center would work in cooperation with other church agencies.
Monsignor Mupendawatu said that while more than 25 percent of the global health care to AIDS patients is provided by Catholic institutions, the church needs to do even more in the face of the epidemic, which infects about 7,000 additional people each day.
One of the church's priorities is to help make "universal and free access to treatment" a reality for all those infected with AIDS, he said. Today, only about 5 percent of people with AIDS patients receive adequate care, he said.
"It is enough to realize that the majority of AIDS patients in Africa live on a dollar a day and cannot afford any treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to reach the essential goal of no-cost drugs," he said.
Monsignor Mupendawatu said the church's insistence that education in responsible sexuality be at least a part of any anti-AIDS strategy has found appreciation in scientific circles, in fact, contrary to what the public has been led to believe. The church's position is that effective prevention of AIDS must include the abandonment of high-risk behavior and the adoption of a "balanced sexuality" based on permanent monogamy
- the inclusion of total premarital chastity and lasting full marital fidelity, he said.
He noted that Pope Benedict XVI
's monthly prayer intention for July evoked the church's commitment to AIDS sufferers: "That Christians may ease the physical and spiritual sufferings of those who are sick with AIDS, especially in the poorest countries."
, a Secretary, Monsignor Jean-Marie Musivi Mupendawatu, and an Under-Secretary, Father Augusto Chendi, M.I.
, besides a staff of 6 officials. The 36 members and 50 consultor
s, nominated by the pope
, represent Curia dicasteries and organisations, the episcopacy and the laity.
The President, Secretary, and Under-Secretary participate in interdicasterial meetings as well as conferences and lectures related to the health care field.
Motu proprio
A motu proprio is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him....
Dolentium Hominum of 11 February 1985, by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
who reformed the Pontifical Commission for the Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers into its present form in 1988. It is part of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
. The Apostolic Constitution
Apostolic constitution
An apostolic constitution is the highest level of decree issued by the Pope. The use of the term constitution comes from Latin constitutio, which referred to any important law issued by the Roman emperor, and is retained in church documents because of the inheritance that the canon law of the...
Pastor Bonus
Pastor Bonus
Pastor Bonus is an Apostolic Constitution promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988. It instituted a number of reforms in the process of running the central government of the Roman Catholic Church, as article 1 states "The Roman Curia is the complex of dicasteries and institutes which help...
describes the work of the council as
- Art. 152 — The Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers shows the solicitude of the Church for the sick by helping those who serve the sick and suffering, so that their apostolate of mercy may ever more effectively respond to people’s needs.
- Art. 153 — § 1. The Council is to spread the Church’s teaching on the spiritual and moral aspects of illness as well as the meaning of human suffering http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_19880628_pastor-bonus-roman-curia_en.html#PONTIFICAL%20COUNCILS.
Its tasks also include coordinating the activities of different dicasteries of the Roman Curia as they relate to health care. The Pontifical Council explains and defends the teachings of the Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
on health issues. The Council also follows and studies programs and initiatives of health care policy at both international and national levels, with the goal of extracting its relevance and implications for the pastoral care of the Church.
Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Zygmunt Zimowski
Zygmunt Zimowski
Zygmunt Zimowski is a Polish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 18 April 2009...
is its President, and Monsignor Jean-Marie Musivi Mupendawatu is the Secretary.
Work with AIDS patients
Monsignor Mupendawatu said, in an interview on Thursday, July 21, 2011 with the semi-official Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore RomanoL'Osservatore Romano
L'Osservatore Romano is the "semi-official" newspaper of the Holy See. It covers all the Pope's public activities, publishes editorials by important churchmen, and runs official documents after being released...
, that a papal foundation affiliated with the Pontifical Council, that is dedicated largely to AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
patients, may expand its services to include a global program of distributing anti-AIDS drugs.
The initiative would respond to a shortage of antiretroviral drugs and other drugs in poorer countries, where the vast majority of AIDS patients receive no adequate treatment.
Monsignor Mupendawatu is a delegate to the Good Samaritan Foundation, established by the late former Pope, Blessed Pope John Paul II, in 2004, to provide economic support to the sick who are most in need, particularly those suffering from AIDS.
Monsignor Mupendawatu said the Foundation planned to strengthen its activity, particularly in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, by increasing its promotion of donations of pharmaceutical and medical material, and by working more closely with local Catholic leaders to place the Church in the forefront of the care for AIDS patients.
To favor these efforts, he said, the foundation may open offices on every continent, which would function in coordination with the central office at the Vatican in Rome.
"The foundation is also studying the possibility of creating its own 'pharmaceutical center' which would allow the collection and distribution of medicines in poor countries," he said. The center would work in cooperation with other church agencies.
Monsignor Mupendawatu said that while more than 25 percent of the global health care to AIDS patients is provided by Catholic institutions, the church needs to do even more in the face of the epidemic, which infects about 7,000 additional people each day.
One of the church's priorities is to help make "universal and free access to treatment" a reality for all those infected with AIDS, he said. Today, only about 5 percent of people with AIDS patients receive adequate care, he said.
"It is enough to realize that the majority of AIDS patients in Africa live on a dollar a day and cannot afford any treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to reach the essential goal of no-cost drugs," he said.
Monsignor Mupendawatu said the church's insistence that education in responsible sexuality be at least a part of any anti-AIDS strategy has found appreciation in scientific circles, in fact, contrary to what the public has been led to believe. The church's position is that effective prevention of AIDS must include the abandonment of high-risk behavior and the adoption of a "balanced sexuality" based on permanent monogamy
Monogamy
Monogamy /Gr. μονός+γάμος - one+marriage/ a form of marriage in which an individual has only one spouse at any one time. In current usage monogamy often refers to having one sexual partner irrespective of marriage or reproduction...
- the inclusion of total premarital chastity and lasting full marital fidelity, he said.
He noted that Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
's monthly prayer intention for July evoked the church's commitment to AIDS sufferers: "That Christians may ease the physical and spiritual sufferings of those who are sick with AIDS, especially in the poorest countries."
Composition
The Pontifical Council is composed of a President, Archbishop Zygmunt ZimowskiZygmunt Zimowski
Zygmunt Zimowski is a Polish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 18 April 2009...
, a Secretary, Monsignor Jean-Marie Musivi Mupendawatu, and an Under-Secretary, Father Augusto Chendi, M.I.
Camillians
The Camillians or Ministers to the Sick are a Roman Catholic religious order of the type of Regular Clerks, founded by Saint Camillus de Lellis. A red cross was chosen by Camillus as the distinguishing badge for the members of the Order to wear upon their black cassocks...
, besides a staff of 6 officials. The 36 members and 50 consultor
Consultor
A consultor is one who gives counsel, i.e. a counselor.In the Catholic Church, it is a specific title for various advisory positions:*in the Roman Curia, a consultor is a specially appointed expert who may be called upon for advice desired by a department...
s, nominated by the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, represent Curia dicasteries and organisations, the episcopacy and the laity.
The President, Secretary, and Under-Secretary participate in interdicasterial meetings as well as conferences and lectures related to the health care field.
List of Presidents
- Cardinal Fiorenzo Angelini (16 February 1985 - 31 December 1996)
- Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán (7 January 1997 - 18 April 2009)
- Archbishop Zygmunt ZimowskiZygmunt ZimowskiZygmunt Zimowski is a Polish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 18 April 2009...
(18 April 2009 – present)