His Holiness Pope Francis on December 11 appointed Bangladeshi Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario as his envoy to the special celebration of the 27th World Day of the Sick to be celebrated in Kolkata, 9-11 February, 2019. The last time the celebration held in India was at Vailankanni in Tamil Nadu South India in 2002.
As reported by mattersindia.com, a communique from Archbishop’s House Calcutta released 23 January, said “The purpose of World Day of the Sick is to sensitise persons, especially Church-run healthcare institutions and civil society to the need to assure the best care for the sick; and to help those who are sick take comfort.” His Eminence Cardinal D’Rozario became the first cardinal of Bangladesh when His Holiness Pope Francis elevated him to the cardinal’s rank at the consistory of November 19, 2016. The 75-year old Archbishop of Dhaka also became the first cardinal from among the Bengali-speaking people on either side of divided Bengal, inhabiting Bangladesh and India’s West Bengal state.
Church leaders and healthcare professionals from other parts of Asia and India will also attend as delegates to the events spread over 3 days from 9 to 11 February, 2019 in Kolkata and in the historical Marian Shrine at Bandel. The tradition of the World Day of the Sick was instituted by St. John Paul II on 13 May 1992, designating its celebration to the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11 each year.
Source: www.mattersindia.com
